


All to Zero

by Tinytokki



Series: Treasure (The Pirate Chronicles of ATEEZ) [1]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: ATEEZ (Band) Are Pirates, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Age of Sail, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst, Being Lost, Capture, Castles, Crimes & Criminals, Drama, Escape, Explosions, Family Drama, Fate & Destiny, Fights, Fist Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Historical Inaccuracy, Meddling Kids, Mentions of Death, Orphans, Pirates, Poverty, Series, Some Humor, The Royal Navy, Treasure Hunting, Violence, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-01-24 14:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18573460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinytokki/pseuds/Tinytokki
Summary: Wooyoung anxiously checked his pockets. His money bag was gone, lost sometime during the fight. He turned to look at the battered frigate he had just left. He was leaving part of his life behind, too. He’d spent the last ten years slaving away on that ship, barely fed or paid. He could only imagine how much worse the conditions would be on the ATEEZ. Mingi turned him around to face the pirate ship as the rowboat was pulleyed up its side. The deck came into view and a tear escaped Wooyoung’s eye as Mingi ruffled his hair. “Welcome to the ATEEZ”(The formidable pirate king Hongjoong and his crew aboard the ATEEZ are in search of something left by their mentor and forebear, Eden. Will they find Eden and his treasure or will they succumb to the many enemies and dangers of the seas, losing their way and each other?)





	1. Rain and Fire

“Wooyoung! Wooyoung- where is he? Jung Wooyoung!!”

“Hey” a softer voice sounded next to Wooyoung’s ear. “Wake up, quartermaster’s calling you.” 

Wooyoung opened his eyes. The stench of bilge made them water and blink viciously. “Is the sun up already?” He mumbled, sitting up to squint out of the tiny hole in the side of the hull of the ship where he lived. Streaks of grey were interspersed with the black night, and sheets of rain poured into the sea, but the sun was still just out of reach.

The boy next to him shook his head. “B-Better go,” he stuttered, chewing his lip. “Quartermaster’s calling...” Wooyoung glanced at him and the other boys, still asleep. He rose with a sigh and made his way above deck to perform whatever menial task he was to be assigned at this ungodly hour.

He presented himself before the Quartermaster, a bearded, imposing man in his late thirties, and stood at attention. “Sir?” The pirate turned to face him. 

“Jung Wooyoung?”  
“Yessir”  
“Here, it’s your pay.”

Wooyoung’s jaw hit the floor. All the other powder monkeys had been paid their meagre wages in compensation for the past several years of their work already, but despite being the best and most experienced among them, Wooyoung had failed to receive his cut until now. The quartermaster hadn’t forgotten him after all. Wooyoung accepted the little bag gratefully with both hands and a bow before turning to go. He was halfway to the boys’ lodgings when a sudden cry came from the crow’s nest. 

“Jolly Roger!! It’s the ATEEZ!”

The morning watch was on his way up to replace the last night watch when he spotted the ship on the horizon. The quartermaster immediately whipped his head around and began yelling orders at the still sleepy crew. Powder monkeys came flying out on deck, readying the cannons. Captain Si-Hyuk emerged from his quarters, rain dripping on his weather-beaten hat, and eyed the commotion as his helmsman informed him that the pirate ship ATEEZ was on its way. 

Wooyoung was still frozen to his spot. Only the master gunner yelling in his ear shook him out of it. He and the other powder monkeys hadn’t seen this ship before, but he recognized the name and knew they were in for a fight. He hurriedly pocketed his money and scurried off to grab the gunpowder for the cannon he had been assigned, keeping his head down. 

The battle was a blur. In almost no time the attacking pirate vessel had pulled up dangerously close and released rowboats into the water. Cannon after cannon fired, sweat poured from Wooyoung’s face and his legs grew weak beneath him. 

Hearing a cry from his friend, he whipped around to locate him. Fire had caught his trousers and he was beginning to panic. Wooyoung rushed over to the smaller boy and tackled him, forcing him to roll and put the fire out. The little powder monkey was sobbing in his arms, clinging to him. He was the newest addition to the ship and hadn’t yet experienced a battle. Glancing from right to left to make sure he hadn’t been spotted away from his station, Wooyoung dragged the boy back below deck, shushing him and warning him to stay put. 

When he re-emerged on the main deck he was shocked at what he saw. Holes littering the side of the ship, his fellow crew members on their knees, and enemy pirates sacking the captain’s cabin. He took one small step back before meeting eyes with an enemy pirate. It was too late to run; he’d been caught. The pirate sprung at him, securing his arms behind him and forcing him to his knees with the others before charging below deck. It was to his shock that Wooyoung realised his captor was around his own age. Surely this was a cabin boy and not an actual crew member? But then how could he be on a boarding party?

The tall, blue-haired intimidating pirate supervising the prisoners suddenly snapped to attention and yelled, “Captain on deck!” Every head snapped to the port side where a rather short man in a red coat had just boarded. Once again, Wooyoung’s jaw dropped. If this was the infamous “Pirate King” of the ATEEZ than he was a lot less terrifying than he had expected. The captain had a slim figure, a charming smile, and small, almost delicate hands but as soon as Wooyoung met his eyes he knew this was not a captain to be messed with.

Those deep pools of vengeance told stories of horror and pain that hid behind glassy walls never to be broken. Wooyoung swallowed and lowered his own eyes. Silence fell as the captain approached, boots tapping the wet surface of the deck rhythmically. “Is everyone accounted for?” His voice was soft, but carried across the deck. This captain could’ve whispered and still been heard clearly over the silence of the men. The tall pirate who had been watching opened his mouth to answer but was cut off.

“Last one, Captain,” the pirate that had restrained Wooyoung marched up from below decks with the last powder monkey in hand. Wooyoung’s heart sank on seeing it was his friend whom he had just rescued. “Very well,” the Captain answered, turning to the tall pirate again. “Mingi, what have we found?” 

“Several current nautical charts and maps, a few chests of gold, and, this will interest you captain, an abundance of powder monkeys,” came the reply. A shudder passed through Wooyoung at the mention of powder monkeys. Would they be taken captive by this hostile pirate crew? The captain in the red coat nodded and swept his eyes over the prisoners before settling them on Captain Si-Hyuk, huddled in the back of the crowd and twisting his hat nervously in his hands. “How many powder monkeys do you have employed, good sir?” The pirate asked him, a smile teasing his lips. Si-Hyuk clearly didn’t know the answer to the question, and his mouth worked silently like that of a gaping fish before his quartermaster answered, “45.” The enemy captain nodded again. 

“I’ll strike a deal with you, then,” he decided. Si-Hyuk’s eyebrows went up to his hairline. “We’ll leave you half of your treasure in return for your best powder monkey.” A murmur rippled through the crew on their knees. The deal was exceedingly generous, but there must be some reason these pirates were so desperate for a good powder monkey. All the boys gathered shrank in fear. They all knew well it was Wooyoung who was the best among them. Si-Hyuk and his quartermaster met eyes briefly before Si-Hyuk cleared his throat and motioned with his head. “Very well. It’s that one.” 

Everyone looked to see who he was gesturing at. It was the new boy, still struggling in the arms of the pirate who’d caught him. He was probably the worst powder monkey on board, a complete novice. Wooyoung could see tears slipping down the lad’s face as he trembled under the enemy captain’s gaze.

Wooyoung’s heart pounded. Surely the captain could tell he was being tricked. There was no telling what this pirate king would do when he discovered the plot. Blow up the ship? Slaughter the crew? Wooyoung squeezed his eyes shut. “It’s me!” He yelled. “Captain meant me!” The captain turned to face him, a frown plastered on to his face. “We’re brothers, Captain just got us confused.” Wooyoung could feel Captain Si-Hyuk’s eyes drilling holes into the back of his head. The pirate captain eyed him for what seemed like an eternity before nodding to the tall pirate, Mingi. “We’ll take him then. Back to the ship!” 

Wooyoung locked eyes with the small boy he had just saved. The tears had stopped flowing and shock painted his features. He began to shake his head slowly as the pirate holding him released him and headed to the rowboats. Mingi grabbed Wooyoung by the neck and pulled him along with the retreating ATEEZ crew. Everything was happening so fast. Mingi pushed him onto the bench next to him, other enemy pirates loaded the boats with maps and gold, and Captain Si-Hyuk was glaring at him. 

As the boat he was in was lowered into the water and began rowing back to the pirate vessel, Wooyoung anxiously checked his pockets. His money bag was gone, lost sometime during the fight. He turned to look at the battered frigate he had just left. He was leaving part of his life behind, too. He’d spent the last ten years slaving away on that ship, barely fed or paid. He could only imagine how much worse the conditions would be on the ATEEZ. Mingi turned him around to face the pirate ship as the rowboat was pulleyed up its side. The deck came into view and a tear escaped Wooyoung’s eye as Mingi ruffled his hair.

“Welcome to the ATEEZ.”


	2. New Quarters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wooyoung observed the towering masts and shining cannons of the vessel and had to admit it was impressive. He noticed some signs of a recent battle however; holes in the sails that needed patching, and scratches and splinters interrupting the smooth wood of the main deck. He was just beginning to wonder what he ought to do next when he was suddenly approached.

Growing smaller in the distance was Wooyoung’s old home. When it sank into the horizon he finally gathered his wits and observed his surroundings. Mingi had dropped him unceremoniously on deck before striding off to oversee the treasure and other supplies being stored away with the other pirates. The creepy captain had disappeared too and, come to think of it, everyone had simply gone back to their stations and carried on as if he wasn’t there. Wooyoung wasn’t sure if they wanted nothing to do with him or if this was a normal occurrence onboard the ATEEZ. 

Wooyoung observed the towering masts and shining cannons of the vessel and had to admit it was impressive. He noticed some signs of a recent battle however; holes in the sails that needed patching, and scratches and splinters interrupting the smooth wood of the main deck. He was just beginning to wonder what he ought to do next when he was suddenly approached. 

It was the young pirate that had caught him earlier, the one he had later seen restraining his young powder monkey friend. His brown hair was neatly kept and two small silver hoops hung from his ears. Wooyoung was still dumbfounded over how strong he was despite his youthful appearance. “I’m Jongho,” the boy introduced himself levelly. “Our Master Gunner was killed a few weeks back and we haven’t replaced him yet so you’re under me directly for the time being. Captain’s ordered you be shown your quarters and given the tour.” Wooyoung couldn’t read any emotions, positive or negative on him, so he simply nodded and followed after him.

“What’s your name?” Jongho asked. Wooyoung was surprised he was being asked this. No one onboard his old ship cared what anyone’s name was. It actually took a second for him to remember it and when he noticed Jongho’s dark eyes on him he blurted out, “Wooyoung. Jung Wooyoung, sorry...” Jongho nodded and opened the hatch to walk below deck. “This is where the powder monkeys stay,” he announced. 

The room was rather spacious, compared to his old ship. The floor was clean at least, and all the hammocks were properly secured. Only about ten boys resided there, some sleeping, some talking quietly, others playing some kind of game. Wooyoung was disturbed at how many empty hammocks there were. “Jung Wooyoung everyone,” Jongho called across the room. “New addition.” Eyes swept over to him, briefly acknowledging, before returning to their activities. Wooyoung couldn’t help his curiosity. “Is this where you stay, too?” He asked. Jongho glanced at him and shook his head. “No, I’m not a powder monkey anymore.” Wooyoung was confused. “Anymore? What are you now, then?” 

“Master-at-Arms.”

“Master-at— what?? How? You can’t be over 19, there’s just no way!” Wooyoung couldn’t contain himself anymore. 

Jongho smiled a tad patronisingly. “Piracy works a bit differently on the ATEEZ. You’ll see.” With that he exited the room, leaving Wooyoung to scan it one more time. “Come on, Wooyoung, there’s a lot more to see,” Jongho’s voice echoed down the stairs and Wooyoung shook himself out of it and followed him. He was already full of questions but restrained himself as Jongho showed him all the places he needed to know about. 

After surveying most of the public areas below decks and, most importantly, the cannons, the pair headed to the galley. A black-haired young man with a strong jawline was preparing the morning meal when they walked in. Wooyoung noticed that he, too, was rather young looking as their eyes met. “Who’s this?” The cook asked. “Jung Wooyoung. New powder monkey- we just got him off Si-Hyuk. And Wooyoung, this is our cook, cooper, and boatswain Seonghwa. He’s also the oldest on board.” Jongho and Seonghwa smiled at each other as if there was some inside joke being silently discussed between them. Wooyoung was running the impressive list Jongho had just rattled off through his head when he registered the last thing said. Oldest on board? This guy? He didn’t have time to ask himself what he had just gotten into before Jongho was heading off towards their next location. 

A yell came from the main deck, startling Wooyoung and annoying Jongho as they were halfway to the crow’s nest. “What is it, San?” Jongho asked, turning to face another young pirate, this one with a brilliant smile and hair dyed a peculiar shade of green. “Would you mind helping me with this?” He was sawing through some wooden boards and it appeared his saw had gotten stuck. “Where’s Yunho?” Jongho asked. “Crow’s nest. Captain told him to make sure Si-Hyuk isn’t following us. The greedy little man might want his prized powder monkey back,” the green haired boy responded, suddenly shifting his gaze to Wooyoung. Jongho simply rolled his eyes and mumbled “I do everything around here,” before breaking the wood plank in half with his bare hands and moving on. 

“I’m San by the way,” the green haired pirate called at Wooyoung’s back with a friendly wave. Wooyoung couldn’t help but smile and wave back. “Here we are,” Jongho announced as they reached the main mast. “Our final stop for the tour, and I trust you know how to navigate ropes?” Wooyoung nodded. He’d been living in ships for almost his whole life; he was confident on ropes. Sure enough, if he squinted he could see someone up the crow’s nest, keeping their eyes peeled on the horizon behind them. “Go wash up for breakfast then. Seonghwa will ring the bell when it’s time.” Wooyoung stayed stuck to his spot and Jongho stared at him before sighing, “Alright one question, then wash up.” 

“How did you get promoted? What are you, 19?” Wooyoung immediately burst out. Jongho smiled knowingly and obliged him. “I’m 18. And Hongjoong-hyung is not like most captains. He doesn’t really believe in classes and staying in your lane. I mean look at his reputation- he never stays in his lane! If he sees a skill or something that can be made use of, he’ll be sure to use it. Being young or new doesn’t matter to him. In my case, you must’ve noticed I’m pretty strong...” Wooyoung nodded, there was no way he was getting the image of this boy splitting wood planks with his bare hands out of his head. “...And I’m also fairly level-headed in comparison to everyone else I suppose, so he made me Master-at-Arms. He pays attention, and he liked my ideas for keeping the crew in shape. I think he made his final decision on it one night after I protected the ATEEZ effectively during a fire fight with a trade ship. All the other officers onboard with a couple of exceptions were assigned in similar ways, after it was put to a vote. Like I said, you’ll figure it out. Go on, now.”

Wooyoung obeyed, slightly jarred that this boy who was younger than him was a full-fledged officer and giving him orders. There were only a few minutes before the bell went off and the powder monkeys hurried to the galley with the rest of the crew. Wooyoung was impressed to see a decent portion of soup served alongside a slice of bread for each person, and all on a small square wooden plates. Si-Hyuk’s cook had never given out plates. As he perched on a barrel on the main deck, Wooyoung wondered if in fact his life had taken a turn for the better and not the worse. 

He glanced at the man leaning against the rail next to him. He was dressed in a nice tan jacket and his hair caught the rising sun in strands of pinkish blond. Wooyoung realised as he looked around that much of the crew was sporting a head of hair dyed an unusual shade. He remembered Mingi’s blue locks and the captain’s sandy blond hair and wondered if there was a reason for all the colours.

“You the new monkey?” The man next to him asked through his bite of bread. Wooyoung nodded and introduced himself. “I’m Yeosang,” came the response “Sailing Master.” Wooyoung was impressed again but knew what to expect when he asked Yeosang’s age. They were born the same year, and Yeosang pointed out San, Mingi, and the Master Rigger Yunho, all fellow officers of his, were the same age as them as well. Wooyoung shook his head. “Is there a reason everyone here is so young?” 

Yeosang smiled at him. It was a broad, genuine smile, and Wooyoung listened intently to his answer. “It’s all a matter of perspective really. Every ship has young boys on it as long as there are powder monkeys. What’s different about us is that we don’t turn them out when they grow too much.” Wooyoung grimaced. That’s surely what would’ve happened to him had he stayed on Si-Hyuk’s ship. “But this life is dangerous...” he mumbled, mostly to himself. Pirate life was not for the faint of heart. And being in a position such as Jongho’s, where one’s job was essentially warfare, sounded risky to Wooyoung. Yeosang laughed. “It’s an adventure, Wooyoung. That’s the point.”

Wooyoung realised he actually had no idea what these pirates were after in the first place and was about to ask what the adventure was when he was interrupted by a cry from the crow’s nest.

“Land ho!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2! Not much action but the setup had to be done, so bear with me. Please give lots of love and if you’re curious I’ve also been posting this on tumblr @atinytokki


	3. Smokey Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They pressed on in the pitch blackness for another ten minutes or so until a sudden screeching noise startled them. A dozen or so pairs of flapping wings burst out of the dark and the group ducked quickly to avoid them. In the commotion, Yunho lost his footing and found himself falling suddenly. There was a deep hole in the ground of the cave, slim enough for maybe two men to slip through the opening. Yunho hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him.

It was a rocky little crag of an island, a dry and barren strip of land that was clearly volcanic. Mingi lowered his spyglass and looked at his captain. “What do you think, hyung?” He asked quietly. “It looks suspicious to me.” Hongjoong glanced at him before returning his gaze to the island. Wisps of smoke curled off of it but it was otherwise still and silent. “The wind is against us and we likely won’t reach it till evening. Let’s anchor there for the night and send out longboats in the morning. This area is uncharted and we ought to explore it while we have the chance. If Eden was headed east, he most certainly passed through here.”

Mingi sighed and nodded, turning to summon Yeosang. He had to scan the deck for a moment before he spotted him leaning on the starboard railing and chatting with the new powder monkey. They had been joined by San, and seemed to be whispering amongst themselves, probably trying to figure out what the captain had been saying. Mingi shook his head and walked over. Just as he suspected, all three of them sat up instantly and acted alert. 

“We’re going to explore it in the morning. Captain said it’s uncharted,” Mingi announced, directing his last comment towards Yeosang, who nodded in response.

“Yes, it is! Even my most up to date maps don’t have anything marked east of Coral Harbour.”

Wooyoung glanced at San for clarification. “Our most recent stop,” he whispered back. Yeosang continued on excitedly.

“I hope Captain decides to bring me along! I’ve never seen an island smoking like that- I wonder if it’s volcanic! There’s probably so much new information to record—“

“But what about the risks?” San interjected. “It looks dark and quiet to me. Who knows what kind of wild creatures could be lurking.”

Yeosang answered quickly. “Wild creatures on a volcanic island? I highly doubt it. You’re just scared because of what happened last time Captain picked you to go with him—“

“That’s easy for you to say!” San snapped back before explaining to Wooyoung. “He’s never been on a landing party.”

“I’d like to see you try to be a navigator. The ocean itself is a wild creature!”

Yeosang and San continued to fire back and forth while Wooyoung turned to Mingi, who looked like he was about to make his exit. “Is there any chance of me being selected for a landing party?” Mingi smirked at him. “You’re our best powder monkey. We need you on deck with the cannons in case something goes wrong.”

Wooyoung winced at the mention of his “best powder monkey” status, reminded of the incident earlier that morning. “I, uh, don’t want to give you the wrong impression. I didn’t just volunteer to save my brother, I really was the most experienced on Si-Hyuk’s ship.” Mingi laughed outright. “Drop the act, there’s no way that kid is your brother. Captain wasn’t fooled by anyone, but just so you know, he didn’t take you because you’re the best, he took you because you volunteered in that boy’s place. He liked that. If you do happen to be awful at your job we’ll drop you off at the next stop.”

Mingi walked off to give the rest of the crew their orders and Wooyoung turned back to the others. It looked like the next stop was an uninhabited volcanic island, so he figured he’d stick with these pirates for now. “Whine to me next time you have to plot a course through a typhoon!” Yeosang was saying before Wooyoung cleared his throat. “Ah right,” Yeosang suddenly stood up. “I’ll go check the wind speed then.” 

The rest of the day passed at an agonisingly slow pace. The crew went about their menial tasks as they fought against the wind and arrived at the shores of the island just before sunset. Mingi knocked on the captain’s door to inform him with a sigh. He had a feeling in his gut about this island. “It’s taken us the better part of a day to get here. The winds have been pushing us away, don’t you think we should heed them?” He argued with Hongjoong one last time. Hongjoong frowned at his superstitious quartermaster and replied, “I’m not missing an opportunity without a more substantial reason. We could be passing up a huge lead if we simply move on.” Mingi nodded. He had assumed as much, knowing how set his captain was on this quest.

The night passed even more painstakingly than the day had. Wooyoung spent his first night on the ATEEZ peeking out his tiny window at the dark shape of land looming before them. Any conversation that had been present in the morning was gone and an eerie silence fell over the whole ship. Only the creaking of the wood as she rocked in the waves sounded through the hold. Wooyoung fell into an uneasy, dreamless sleep, and before he knew it the sun was up and it was time to get back to work.

Mingi called for attention on deck as the captain announced the two landing parties. Wooyoung recognized a few of the names, San and Yunho, but the others were all crew members he hadn’t met. Wooyoung made his way over to the longboat San was loading to farewell him and ask, “What are you doing on a landing party? I thought you were the carpenter.” San flashed a wide smile and poked him in the side. “Just in case anyone gets infected and needs a limb or two cut off! Take care now!” With that he hopped into the boat and was lowered out of sight. 

Wooyoung returned to Jongho’s side and watched the two boats shrink away as they reached the island. He realised Yeosang had joined them, apparently not achieving his dream of being selected for a landing party, and turned to ask, “What’s all this about the winds not wanting us to land here?” Yeosang tilted his head to the side. “You’ve been listening to the other monkeys, haven’t you? Always spreading rumours, those kids.” Wooyoung waited patiently for his answer. “There have been concerns that there is some supernatural presence on this island trying to keep us away, but I wouldn’t take them seriously. Wind is just part of nature.” 

“By ‘concerns’ he means Mingi,” Jongho butted in casually. “It’s true Mingi is always nervous about the supernatural, but it has kept us out of trouble in the past you have to admit, Yeosang.”

Yeosang frowned in confusion silently asking Jongho to clarify. “Dagger Cliffs!” He exclaimed. Wooyoung waited patiently for someone to explain further, and of course, Yeosang obliged. “Mingi convinced us not to sail through Dagger Cliffs because he heard tales that a magical force crushed ships between two cliffs when they try to sail through. We took another route as it turned out the cliffs were resting on tectonic plates that pushed together because of pressure underneath the ocean. See, there’s a scientific explanation for everything even if it does sound like something supernatural.”

“Why is it so important we stop at this island, though?” Wooyoung asked, not entirely convinced. Yeosang looked like he was about to answer when Seonghwa suddenly appeared and clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get back to our stations now.”

Yeosang obeyed and left Wooyoung with Jongho, who was quietly humming to himself as if nothing had happened. Wooyoung glanced one last time at the boats which had reached shore and were unloading before getting back to work.

On shore, Hongjoong had decided to take Yunho and his party and search the forest while Mingi took San and the other men to investigate the volcano. He had only been slashing vines out of his way for a few minutes before a cave suddenly came into view. Yunho brushed his hands along the smooth walls before spotting something. An extinguished torch in a metal holder was somehow fastened to the side of the cave. Alarmed, he shared a glance with Hongjoong. This island was supposedly undiscovered, but from this it looked like they had been mistaken. Hongjoong struck a match and lit the torch, entering the dark interior of the cave. The men followed behind silently. 

They pressed on in the pitch blackness for another ten minutes or so until a sudden screeching noise startled them. A dozen pairs of flapping wings burst out of the dark and the group ducked quickly to avoid them. In the commotion, Yunho lost his footing and found himself falling suddenly. There was a deep hole in the ground of the cave, slim enough for maybe two men to slip through the opening. Yunho hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him. 

He was shocked at how far he’d fallen. He stood up quickly, a sharp pain shooting through his side, and frantically scanned the air above him. The faint light of Hongjoong’s torch shone through the hole, and his concerned face peeked down at Yunho. “Are you alright?” He yelled down. His voice echoed off the walls and Yunho realised the crevice he had fallen into was quite spacious. “Yessir” he shouted back as he glanced around, squinting in the darkness. “Can you toss the torch?” He yelled up. Hongjoong reached as far into the opening as he could before dropping it.

Yunho caught it deftly and looked at his surroundings again, eyes adjusting to the light. His jaw dropped in shock at what he saw.

A few dozen skeletons were scattered among massive hills of gold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops cliffhanger ;) comment your ideas and predictions! If you have questions pleaser leave them, and await Chapter 4!


	4. Cursed Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Stop this! Immediately!” The crew members paused for a moment, realising they had been about to strike their captain, and hung their heads in shame. Hongjoong whipped his head around, looking both men in the eyes as it hit him. “The treasure,” he gasped. “It’s cursed.”

“You can see the whole island from here!”

Mingi and San had been hiking for half an hour by the time they and their squad reached the peak of the volcano. Mingi brushed his sweaty blue locks out of his eyes and gazed down into the slight indentation in the land. “This must be where the lava comes out,” San hypothesized. Mingi was quiet, suspiciously scanning the whole area for any threat. San went on, “I don’t think it’s active at all. If it’s not extinct than it’s at least dormant.”

The rest of their crew had plopped down on the rock, enjoying the view and regaining their breath. San continued to chatter away about the volcano while Mingi retrieved his spyglass and turned it to the rest of the island. There was the ATEEZ, anchored in the cove. The beach was vacant except for the two boats of the landing parties. There were tangled messes of vines leading to a system of caves, where Captain and his party must be. Looking west there was a slope of rock, bare and empty except for a single bird’s nest. To the north a small stream of freshwater began before winding through another area thick with vines to the east. 

“Freshwater!” Mingi announced. “Has everyone got their buckets with them?” The crew mumbled a yes and went back to relaxing, enjoying the breeze that blew through them. “Where?” San asked, grabbing the spyglass from Mingi and looking to the north. There it was, flowing to the east through the vine forest and past a makeshift cabin. Wait. San turned back to the cabin and swallowed nervously. “Mingi...” he passed the spyglass back and pointed in the direction of what he had seen. “Look at that.” 

A small gasp escaped the quartermaster’s lips. “So the island is inhabited.” He chewed his lip and wondered what to do. Hongjoong and the others hadn’t returned to the beach but there was a source of water flowing only a short distance away. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity to claim free supplies.

Mingi turned to the crew and informed them, “Five more minutes, then we get that water. Let’s just hope whoever might be in that cabin won’t bother us.”

.

Yunho almost dropped the torch in shock. A chill shuddered through him and he gasped at the sight of skeletons strewn about. Hongjoong had noticed Yunho’s reaction to something and called down, “What do you see?”

“About a dozen skeletons, Captain. They’re sitting on gold- more gold than I’ve ever seen in my life! Captain you ought to come see...” Hongjoong cocked his head to the side. “Yunho, we still haven’t worked out how to get you out of there. Maybe we should-“ 

“Gold?” One of the crew members interrupted him. The tall man moved past the other crew to the front and stood next to his captain. “Why don’t we just have a look?” He asked. Hongjoong’s face set in a frown. “The safety of the crew comes first,” he answered firmly. Yunho’s voice shouted up from the hole. “It’s alright, Captain, you can come down when you figure it out. But there might be clues here and I don’t want us to miss them.” He lowered his voice and said to himself, “Because I certainly don’t know what to look for.”

Hongjoong turned back to the crew and cleared his throat. “Let’s make a rope. I need any spare cloth you have; bring it here.” The crew grudgingly got to work, ripping off parts of their own shirts and tossing jackets and bandanas into the pile. Hongjoong was hard at work knotting them all together into one long line, squinting in the darkness as he painstakingly pulled each knot tight. When it was ready, he secured one end to a stalagmite and tossed the other down to Yunho, asking him pull on it a few times to make sure it was secure. Then he prepared to enter the hole, nodding at a few of the party and instructing, “You three stay up here and keep guard. I’ll go down first, in case there’s something wrong with the rope, and then the rest of you feel free to join me.” With that, he descended into the darkness of the hole.

.

The water was sweet and plentiful and the complaining crew quickly raised their spirits at the prospect of a refreshing drink. Mingi and San investigated the cabin with caution. It wasn’t apparent whether it could really be called a cabin anymore. Boards littered the ground, the windows had been blown out, and the door was off its hinges. Mingi carefully lifted it out of his way as he entered.

There was one sparse room; a dust covered floor and cobweb covered roof. San brushed past him to take a look around as well before asking, “Who do you think was here?” Mingi took a step towards him to answer but stopped short as San raised his hand suddenly. “Did you hear that?” San asked. “Hear what?” Mingi took another step and this time caught the noise. It was a creaking coming from the floor. “That.” San squinted at the ground before realising, “There’s something under the floorboards!” 

Mingi quickly took a step back, the squeaking noise sounding again as he released his foot from the board, and leaned over. San joined him and gripped the edge of the board in his hand. With one strong pull it was off. Both San and Mingi leaned over to look into the space under the removed board, moving too quickly at the same time and smacking their heads into each other. They reeled back, hands pressed against foreheads, before eyeing each other and slowly leaning in again and looking down.

A single roll of parchment rested there, covered in dust but otherwise untouched. Mingi, having longer arms, reached down and grabbed it, carefully unrolling it and sitting next to San so they could both see what was on it. It was a map.

.

Yunho handed his captain the torch and followed him as he navigated skeletons and treasure to the centre of the cave. Hongjoong scrambled up the largest pile in the middle, standing twice his own, admittedly unimpressive, height to survey the area. “Where did these people come from?” He wondered out loud. “And how did they die here?” 

Yunho brainstormed with him, both keeping an eye on the other crew members who were going through the gold excitedly. “Perhaps they fell and got stuck too...” A chill went through Hongjoong’s spine. He didn’t like the feeling he was getting in this place. “There’s enough of them that they could’ve made a human chain and escaped,” he mumbled, more to himself than Yunho. “There must be a reason they all died like this.” Yunho, who had gotten over his initial shock and was inspecting a pair of skeletons that were facing each other, suggested something else. “They might’ve been killed, if we want to assume the worst. They’re wearing the remains of some kind of sailing outfit... I think they were pirates too.” 

Hongjoong had joined him and was about to open his mouth when a shout and the sound of metal sliding against metal came from behind them. A crew member had drawn his sword on another member who was clutching a jewel studded goblet to his chest. “I saw it first!” Both yelled at the same time. The pirate with the goblet drew his sword and was about to strike the other when Hongjoong grabbed his arm and cast himself between them. 

“Stop this! Immediately!” The crew members paused for a moment, realising they had been about to strike their captain, and hung their heads in shame. Hongjoong whipped his head around, looking both men in the eyes as it hit him. “The treasure,” he gasped. “It’s cursed.”

.

“I don’t know what I’m looking at,” Mingi admitted, handing the map to San. San scanned it himself and replied, “Neither do I. There is an X here on this eastern island, though...” Both knew what the X marked the spot for- treasure of some kind. “But who’s treasure?” Mingi wondered aloud. “Which island do you think we’re on?” San questioned after a pause. Mingi shook his head. “This is the only clue about who might have been here, but I think we’re going to have to let Yeosang or Captain have a look at it.” 

San sighed and then looked back into the hole they had uncovered. Nothing else was there under the floorboards. The cabin was utterly empty. He got up with a stretch and helped Mingi to his feet. The only option left was to go back to the boats and wait for Hongjoong and his party. 

“Let’s take this and the water to the longboats,” Mingi decided.

.

The two crew members lowered their swords, treasure all around reflecting light from the torches, and skeletons littering the cave, silently watching. Yunho cleared his throat. 

“The treasure’s cursed,” Hongjoong repeated, turning to him. “These men must have turned on each other for it,” he swallowed as he gazed at the remains of the cursed victims. “Let’s get out of here. No one takes any gold with them, and we seal this place up when we leave.” All the swords were sheathed and men climbed up the clothesline single file. The crewman with the goblet rubbed it one last time before tossing it back to the pile and climbing up and away. Yunho watched this intently before following him, the last one out, and helping the others pack rocks onto the opening. 

“At least now we know where to throw someone if they’re causing us trouble,” Yunho joked, trying to lighten the mood. Everyone was still silent as they walked to the boats. The sun was high and hot. Only half the day had been spent there, but everyone was more than ready to leave that place behind. 

Mingi and his party were loading their boat with flasks, skins, and buckets of water when they arrived. “Nothing much grows because the island is volcanic- but the volcano isn’t going to blow any time soon,” San explained, as everyone piled into their respective longboats. 

The bad feeling in Hongjoong’s gut persisted. The ride was slow as the wind was against them and only the rowing of the men was moving them back to the ATEEZ. Considering it had been strongly gusting against them on the way in this was suspicious. Why had it suddenly changed directions? Hongjoong was about to ask if anyone remembered a current on the way to the island when a bump hit the side of the boat. Everyone was startled but stayed put. Yunho, who was at the front, leaned over to see what they had run into. A dorsal fin crested the surface of the water and panic began.

“Sharks!” Mingi and San heard the screams of the men on the other boat as dozens of fins zeroed in on the longboat. “Why are they passing us?” San yelled, hanging on to the side of the boat as sharks brushed past it while they raced toward the other one. Mingi had no answer for him. “Knock them out with your oars!” He ordered, trying to stop as many as they could before they got to Captain’s boat.

“Don’t let them tip the boat!” Hongjoong cautioned, eyes wide as he witnessed the crewman who had started the fight earlier fend off a shark with his oar. The other pirates put their backs into it, just outrunning the sharks to reach the ATEEZ. The predators dispersed as the tired parties were lifted back onto their ship, safe at last. 

.

Hongjoong, Mingi, and Yeosang sat at Hongjoong’s desk, relaying all their information to the sailing master about the volcano, freshwater, caves, size and shape of the island, and anything else they could think of. They mentioned to him the unusual signs of habitation- the metal torch in the caves, the gold and the skeletons, and the cabin. Yeosang didn’t know what to make of these things, but happily took some parchment and a quill out to the main deck to sketch Smokey Island one last time before the anchor was raised.

When he had left and they were alone, Mingi pulled out the map and wordlessly handed it over. Hongjoong’s heart rate suddenly doubled. “Where did you get this?” He burst out. Mingi answered him levelly and went on to explain, “There wasn’t anything else in the cabin, and San and I didn’t know what to make of it.” Hongjoong leaned over to let Mingi see the map and pointed at a marking in the bottom corner.

“Do you see this little bird here? That’s Eden’s symbol. This map- it’s Eden’s. We’re on the right track.”


	5. The Kraken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mingi tumbled down into the water just as a black ink oozed out of the monster and began to spread. He surfaced, coughing and spluttering on the dark substance and reached for the ladder being tossed toward him. He summoned all his strength and swam toward it, praying the kraken would be distracted by the cannon fire that was erupting from the deck.

It had been mildly stressful for Wooyoung as he’d worked under Jongho all morning with one eye on whatever task was at hand and the other eye on the island where he knew the Captain and those with him were scoping things out. He had watched anxiously from the deck as sharks had surrounded the longboats on the way back and jumped in to help them aboard. San had grasped his hand and glanced up at him, fear in his eyes. Neither of them had ever seen sharks attack like that.

He’d been having thoughts about running for it as soon as they found civilised land. Captain Hongjoong seemed determined to sail east and face any obstacle without a thought for the lives of his crew and having seen the risks faced just that morning for whatever the Captain’s secret quest was, Wooyoung liked the idea of being alive. It wasn’t so bad under Si-Hyuk if he remembered correctly, other than lack of pay and sparse meals. At least Si-Hyuk had stayed in familiar waters most of the time.

He was still curious about the unknown however, so that afternoon, Wooyoung caught a break and found San on deck gazing at Smokey Island. “What was it like?” He asked. San turned to face him and worked his mouth into a small frown. “For me, not as exciting as last time Captain put me on boarding party.” 

Wooyoung raised his eyebrows, remembering their conversation last night. Yeosang had jabbed at San for being scared of wild creatures because of something that had happened at their last stop. San went on to tell the tale without prompting. “It was a few weeks back, we landed on another supposedly uninhabited island with caves on it, and of course we went in those caves to look for clues and such and, well, we found something else...”

San’s face turned red with embarrassment at the memory. “There was a dragon.” Wooyoung’s jaw dropped. “A dragon? You’re sure it wasn’t just a large lizard-“ “No, it was a dragon. With wings. Breathed fire,” San cut him off matter-of-factly. Wooyoung shook his head in amazement. “Yeosang didn’t believe it either,” San shrugged and went on with the story.

“The dragon was asleep on a pile of gold, and Captain warned us all to be quiet while we searched around for clues-“ “Clues?” San shrugged again. “Evidence of other humans, anything to prove someone had been there. Captain always has us look for clues like that when we land on an island.” Wooyoung wanted to ask more but San was already moving on with the story. “I was going through some very nice looking jewels towards the top of the pile when, well, I happened to lose my balance and dropped one... on the dragon’s face.”

Wooyoung’s eyes widened. “I made a run for it and the others realised what had happened and followed but it was all we could do to get off the island before the dragon came flying out at top speed, scorching the whole place in fire. I could still feel the heat on my face as the ATEEZ sailed away,” San shivered at the memory. “No one was killed or injured but... that’s why I wasn’t sure about landing party this time. I knew Captain wasn’t happy I had caused any potential clues on Dragon Island to go up in flames, but I’m also not too keen on caves anymore.”

“Captain’s party went in the caves,” Wooyoung pointed out. San nodded. “But all Mingi and I found was an empty cabin, an unreadable map, and some over-ambitious sharks.” “Who do you think was here before?” Wooyoung asked him, trying again to get San to talk about what the point of this journey east was. But San simply shrugged. “There’s no way for me to tell. Whoever they were, they’re dead now. Skeletons in the bottom of that cave,” he shivered again.

“I hear the skeletons had pirate clothing,” a familiar voice came from behind them. They turned to see Yeosang standing there with a pen and paper, apparently having just left the Captain’s quarters. This was news to Wooyoung. “Who told you that?” San asked with an even tone. “Captain,” Yeosang flashed a broad smile. “No offence, but Captain and Yunho’s story is a fair bit more interesting than yours and Mingi’s, San.” 

San rolled his eyes but Wooyoung wanted to hear it. Yeosang went on to tell about how Yunho fell down the hole and found the skeletons and the gold and how Hongjoong broke up a fight and discovered the gold was cursed. “It definitely sounds like a curse to me,” Wooyoung mumbled to himself, though he was immediately overheard by both San and Yeosang. “I pity them, whoever they are,” Yeosang sighed. “Well I don’t,” San contradicted quickly. “That’s what you get when you mess around with cursed treasure.” 

“I don’t believe in curses,” Yeosang countered. “Then how do you explain the skeletons?” “Most likely they were trapped in there and killed each other as they went mad!”

Wooyoung interjected before the argument got out of hand again, “Didn’t Captain himself say the treasure was cursed, though?”  
San smirked at Yeosang, thinking he had won Wooyoung over, but Yeosang was cool under pressure. “Captain can do and think what he wants, but until I have evidence—“

“That’s it!” San exclaimed, exasperated. “We’ve got to get him on landing party sometime! The rest of the crew has seen mermaids, witches, and dragons since this voyage started but you won’t even believe in curses until you see them yourself!” 

Yeosang had to admit he did want to get on a landing party but a cry from the crow’s nest interrupted him. “Something in the water!” All three heads whipped to the direction Yunho was pointing to from above and searched the water. Sure enough, just off their port a dark shape moved alarmingly quickly toward them through the waves. Jongho materialised out of nowhere and instructed Wooyoung to ready the harpoons as the Captain and quartermaster came on deck.

Hongjoong handed the spyglass to Mingi. “It’s not a whale.” Mingi caught a glimpse of tentacle and shuddered. He tried to rationalise, but both of them knew they were going to be dealing with something very unnatural. “Squid? You know, we’re not even in deep water yet- I might’ve imagined that tentacle...” He handed the spyglass back to Hongjoong who took a second look and shook his head, an uncomfortable feeling brewing in his chest. “It’s bigger than any squid I’ve seen,” he admitted before yelling up to Yunho, “What do you see?” Yunho’s face was pale as he answered, “Kraken.”

“Impossible,” Yeosang who had joined them had his eyes fixed on the shape as it began to lift its head above the water. Crew members sprung into action. Seonghwa had heard the commotion and was coming up from the hold when a massive tentacle shot across the width of the ship, almost knocking him off his feet. Yeosang let out a yelp and ran to the older pirate’s side. “Let’s get you below deck, Yeosang,” Seonghwa took Yeosang’s arm but was stopped by San pulling on Yeosang’s other arm. “No no! Let him watch! I’ll bet he didn’t believe in krakens before just now!”

Wooyoung had no experience with harpoons but was closely following Jongho’s instructions as quickly as possible. There were now two colossal tentacles stretched across the ship trying to cleave it in half, and a third tentacle was headed for the crow’s nest before the first harpoon was shot.

The kraken reeled back with an ear-splitting screech as the metal sunk into its flesh, but kept a tight hold on the ship, resisting the swords and gunfire pelting the other two tentacles. Now that it was angered, it fully raised itself out of the water. Wooyoung swallowed as he realised its head was larger than the ATEEZ herself, and the shortest tentacle was at least long as the mainmast. Mingi’s voice boomed out from the quarterdeck, “Don’t let it penetrate our hull! Keep all tentacles in sight and accounted for! Load the cannons!” Jongho stood up suddenly and looked around at who was with him. Only Wooyoung and a few other powder monkeys who had been on deck were there, working with the harpoons. Jongho ran below to bring the rest of the boys out and start readying the cannons, but was caught by Mingi. “Jongho, why aren’t the cannons loaded yet? Kraken at ten o’clock!” Jongho shot him a look over his shoulder, “I’m trying to do two jobs here! Get yourself a master gunner and then you can complain!”

Mingi’s response was cut off by a tentacle shooting his direction and sticking its suction cups to his feet. He hacked at it with his cutlass in a panic, but another tentacle grasped his arm and before he knew it he was being pulled up into the air. Jongho stretched his arm toward him as he realised what was happening, but the kraken was too quick. Jongho watched, speechless, as Mingi was swung through the air until Hongjoong made his way to the railing and unloaded his musket on the base of the tentacle, severing it in half.

Mingi tumbled down into the water just as a black ink oozed out of the monster and began to spread. He surfaced, coughing and spluttering on the dark substance and reached for the ladder being tossed toward him. He summoned all his strength and swam toward it, praying the kraken would be distracted by the cannon fire that was erupting from the deck. 

Just as soon as Mingi had been hauled onboard, covered head to toe in black sticky ink, another crewman was snatched from the rigging. 

Wooyoung saw Jongho being split between harpoons and cannons so he hastily loaded three of the closest cannons himself and instructed the other boys to bring more powder and cannonballs. He was surprised for a moment that they were obeying him without complaint but they were scared for their lives and knew Jongho was too busy with harpoons to give orders. Urgently, he aimed the cannon nearest the monster at the base of the tentacle holding the crewman and fired it. His aim was impeccable and the arm detached and went limp, releasing the pirate. 

Hongjoong turned from hacking the nearest tentacle to look at where the shot had come from. Their newest addition had successfully saved a fellow crew member. As he prepared to lower the ladder into the water and rescue him, the Captain noticed something glinting in the hand of the pirate. It was the golden goblet from Smokey Island. His eyes flew to the crewman’s face. It was the same one who had started the fight in the cave and evidently had stolen the cursed treasure against direct orders. Enraged, Hongjoong pulled the man up by his collar and dragged him down to the prison hold without a single word. “I’ll deal with you later,” he hissed as he locked the metal cell and turned to go back on deck. He was a few steps away when Seonghwa appeared at his side breathless and with bad news.

“Captain, the kraken’s made a hole in the ship.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another cliffhanger!! Don’t worry the next chapter will be along soon, I’m going on a trip so I’ll be writing then. And if you’re interested, the San/Yeosang rivalry thing was inspired by their little competition over Wooyoung on their tour. Also Yeosang is a savage irl I’m convinced. Please comment and give your support! <3 I will take suggestions as well :)


	6. Loose Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Hongjoong fired rounds into the creature’s head and ducked under flying tentacles that his crew were hacking off, a question began to grow in the back of his mind. What was this monster doing here?

“San! Yeosang! I need you patching up the hull with Seonghwa and his team- do as he says!” Hongjoong calmly gave orders to the men struggling to keep tentacles at bay on the main deck as he stuffed the problematic goblet into his shirt for safekeeping until he could return it to the island. “Yunho, Mingi, Jongho, and your teams will stay up here with me. We need to be fast and efficient or we’ll be sunk. Aim for the head and give it all you’ve got. Let’s move!”

Hurried pep talk over, everyone attacked with renewed efforts. Seongwha knew how important it was to stop up the leak that had been ripped into the side of the ship below deck. If the ATEEZ capsized it was over for them. Yeosang silently helped him, following directions and breathing in and out as steadily as he could with a mythical monster terrorising them.

As Hongjoong fired rounds into the creature’s head and ducked under flying tentacles that his crew were hacking off, a question began to grow in the back of his mind. What was this monster doing here? Mingi had been right to point out the shallowness of the water. A bottom dweller as large as the kraken should not be this close to shore. And then there was the confusing behaviour of the monster itself. Aside from one tear in the hold it hadn’t been trying much to capsize the ATEEZ, instead lifting men off the deck and throwing them around. Hongjoong got the feeling it was looking for something.

“Look out!”

The Captain just managed to duck a sweeping tentacle from behind thanks to a yell from Wooyoung, but was knocked off his feet and lifted into the air by another tentacle from the front. His breath got caught in his throat as he looked into the eye of the massive beast that was dangling him upside down like he weighed nothing. Suddenly it hit him.

The goblet

If men could kill each other for some cursed gold why would other creatures not do the same? At that moment, he knew what he needed to do.

The Captain pulled the goblet out where it could be seen, and tossed it with all his might into the mouth of the kraken. 

With a huge motion that shook the ship it clung to, the monster reared back and began to sink into the water beneath it. Once everyone had regained their footing, cheers broke out. Those cheers quickly turned to screams when they realised their Captain was still in the grasp of the sinking giant. 

Wooyoung froze. He wasn’t sure what he could do to help and for a moment he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to but this was his Captain for now so he shook it off and ran to the nearest harpoon. He tied off the end of the rope to the main mast, and launched the harpoon at the tentacle that was beginning to pull Hongjoong into the whirlpool left by the kraken’s fall. It was a perfect hit. “Hang on!” Wooyoung yelled as the tentacle separated from the rest of the kraken’s body and Hongjoong grasped the harpoon while he was sucked into the hole that was quickly growing beneath him. Others joined Wooyoung as he pulled with all his might to get their Captain’s head back above water.

Everyone held their breath. “I see him!” Yunho yelled, almost dropping the rope in his excitement. Soon Hongjoong was dragged up over the railing and surrounded by crewmen as he coughed and lay, shaking, for a moment.

Wooyoung stood awkwardly with the rope still in his hands until Hongjoong rose and found his voice, cutting to the chase.  
“He got what he came for. And just as well, we don’t want it aboard.”

It was quiet save for panting and the rocking of the boat as everyone realised what had been going on. 

Yunho flashed back to the shark attack on the way back to the ship. One shark had breached clean out of the water at the man carrying the treasure. “That’s why the sharks only came for our boat,” he said softly. “The whole ship was put in danger because of that crewman.”

Mingi stared at Hongjoong until he looked up and met his eyes. “What are you going to do with him?” He asked. Hongjoong stood gingerly, waiting for the deck to stop spinning before replying, “I’ll figure it out later. Making repairs is our foremost concern now. Back to work, everyone. Let’s get away from this island.”

Before Wooyoung could scurry away he was taken aside by Mingi and told simply, “Captain’s quarters. Now.” Wooyoung swallowed his anxieties and confidently walked in behind the Captain and Quartermaster.

Wooyoung was surprised at the state of the cabin. It was decorated, Hongjoong certainly had a sense of style, but not as ornately as he had expected from the dreaded Pirate King of the ATEEZ. Maps were spread over the desk and the floor, illuminated by the sunlight that streamed through the three tall windows in the back. A bed was almost hidden in the wall, tucked between two floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Other than the window seat, a rug, and some candelabras the room was empty. Wooyoung stood in front of the desk while Hongjoong made his way behind it. 

“Have you encountered a kraken before, Wooyoung?” 

“No sir.”

“We picked you up from Si-Hyuk, correct?”

“Yessir.”

“He’s not a fishing vessel, so where did you learn how to harpoon like that?”

Wooyoung though for a second. Where did he learn how to harpoon like that? He had never touched a harpoon or a spear in his life until today, but somehow he had made perfect shot after perfect shot in that fight, even saving the Captain. 

“It was like shooting a cannon, really. I have good aim, that’s all.”

Hongjoong began to pace, clearly trying to make up his mind about something. “Captain, sit down,” Mingi sighed. Wooyoung found himself wondering how frequently their Captain had to be close to death for him to be able to walk around like this immediately after. Hongjoong obeyed but continued to think for another minute before meeting Wooyoung’s eyes.

“You do have good aim. We’re down a Master Gunner, and we really can’t ask Jongho to juggle that too anymore, so due to your excellent aim and apparent reliability in battle... I’m promoting you.”

Wooyoung’s mouth opened and closed several times trying to formulate a question but Hongjoong went ahead and answered regardless. “I’m going to talk to the monkeys and have them vote on it, but I don’t think there’ll be any issue. Rum’s on me when we find land. Congratulations.”

That’s how Wooyoung found himself, a week later, in a little shack on some uncharted island, surrounded by a few fellow crewmen and a few more jugs of rum. Captain and Seongwha were purchasing supplies to patch up the ship and then popping in later to pick up the tab, so the younger men took that as an opportunity to go to town on the alcohol. Mingi had already passed out (no one was sure if it was from the rum or San smacking him in the back of the head repeatedly for losing games), Jongho looked like he was going to be sick any moment, Yeosang was silently brooding over his glass in the corner, still upset over the existence of the kraken, and San, Yunho, and Wooyoung had been giggling about nothing in particular for the last ten minutes. 

“Be grateful, Wooyoung,” Jongho mumbled at him when there was a lull in the conversation. “It took me years to be promoted.”

“That’s riiiiight!” San screeched, smacking his jug against Jongho’s and receiving a dirty look. “I think I’m still the fastest turnaround for being elected!” 

“But Mingi-“ Yunho slurred. “Mingi doesn’t count, he was hired!” San interrupted. Wooyoung had been dying to hear the story of San’s record time promotion so he grinned at him over his jug and requested, “Tell me a tale!” 

San obliged, “The ATEEZ came to my hometown when I was 17 and working in my grandfather’s carpenter shop. My grandparents raised my half-sister and I, and most of our revenue went to buying medicine for her. She had tuberculosis all the time and the treatment was very expensive, so we had to work a lot and carpentry isn’t the most exciting thing in the world. I was trying to stay awake at work when there was a loud ruckus from the healer’s next door. I snuck out to see what it was, and I saw Captain, Seonghwa, and a very bloody, unconscious Yunho. The healer kicked them out saying they were pirates, which piqued my interest, and Yunho’s leg had clearly been shot and infected. I could tell it need amputating, and so I cleaned my saw, ran up to them, and offered to do it!”

Wooyoung blinked at him. Surely he was just poking fun? “Yunho’s leg isn’t amputated though...” “It is! I just do a good job of hiding it,” Yunho jumped onto the table, whipped out his leg, and pulled his trousers up to reveal what was in fact a peg leg. Wooyoung’s jaw dropped. “This whole time?” The rest of the table erupted into giggles before San shushed everyone excessively and continued the story. “Captain agreed to it and had Seonghwa run and grab some whiskey. When Yunho was as out of it as possible, I did the deed. Bam!” His voice was loud and right in Wooyoung’s ear, startling him. “From the knee down was clean off. It was a neat cut, and I had proved myself on the spot. As I was bandaging it up, I asked if I could join the crew. Captain took a look at the leg and a look at me and said ‘We could use a doctor onboard.’ So that’s what I became. And here we are.”

“You just ran away? What about your half-sister?” Wooyoung sputtered. The mood instantly died. San’s smile became a hard line on his face. “What about it? It doesn’t matter, I’m here now and I’m more useful and having fun. Didn’t you ever run away, too?” It was Wooyoung’s turn to grow cold and sensitive. “No,” he answered. “I stuck with my parents no matter how horrible they were.”

“Tell us your story,” Jongho urged softly. Wooyoung looked down into his mug. His mind may be muddled but he knew he couldn’t keep holding the ATEEZ situation and everyone involved in it at arm’s length forever. If he really was going to be part of the crew, he might as well be honest. He took a deep breath and began.

“My family didn’t have money. Mum and Dad’s big, proud achievement is that they managed to send my older brother to the Royal Navy. They wanted to repeat this with me, their second child, but discovered early on that I have a back issue and the Navy probably wouldn’t accept me in their ranks. This was devastating to them and they...” he choked a little on what he was trying to say. “...They made it clear I was now a burden on the family and that I needed to work to be useful. I was nine.” Wooyoung paused but there was no major reaction from his listeners, just a nod from Yeosang that said “go on.” “I managed to get a job selling fish, and that eventually became powder monkey business. Si-Hyuk is a privateer, so my parents didn’t complain about me going to work for him, and I left. But no, I didn’t run away.”

Everyone’s heads turned as Hongjoong and Seonghwa walked in. “Heyyyyy our musicians have arrived! Play for us!” Yunho jumped on the table again and started dancing silently, in a world of his own. Hongjoong just shook his head and paid for the rum. “I think Wooyoung’s been sufficiently initiated. Someone wake Mingi up and let’s get back to the ship.”

Wooyoung woke up the next morning to a weird smell and a splitting headache. His memories of their wild time last night ended with telling his life story, a decision he still wasn’t entirely convinced he should have made. He looked around and realised he wasn’t in his bunk as usual, but in Yeosang’s empty cabin. He supposed he was sharing an officer’s quarters now that he had been promoted, but he didn’t remember moving last night. The sun was already high and as Wooyoung rubbed his eyes and gazed into the mirror, it caught strands of his hair in the light. His heart skipped a beat as he realised with this final sign that his place on the ATEEZ was official.

His hair was purple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m terribly sorry for the delay and also the chapter jumping around and being weird... I got the chance to do some carpentry work so that’s helped a lot with the story. And also can I just say there is no better feeling than listening to Intro: A Long Journey while at the beach, toes in the sand and waves crashing in front of you 👌🏻 Please comment ♥️ Next chapter coming soon~


	7. The Doldrums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hongjoong’s eyes were on the table, uneaten food on his plate. “The sea plays nasty tricks on a sailor’s mind. Everyone’s afraid of being stuck out here, but the reality is we’re already stuck.”

“Shh!” Wooyoung attempted to silence San’s giggles without waking Yeosang. It had been San’s idea to secretly dye Yeosang’s hair an even more prominent shade of pink than he was currently sporting, but Wooyoung had been more than willing to aid him, believing his cabinmate to be responsible for colouring his own hair purple a few days before. He held Yeosang still as he snored softly, San doing the job and now painstakingly rinsing his victim’s head. “Who shall we say it was when he discovers it?” Wooyoung suddenly whispered. “Yunho!” San had an answer at the ready. “But does Yunho know how to dye hair?” San shrugged in response. “Yeosang won’t question it. Hand me the towel now.”

Wooyoung really did enjoy bunking with Yeosang, even if he was more tame and well-behaved than the others. With San and Yunho; he could get up to no good, with Yeosang; he could unwind. But it certainly didn’t hurt to rile the sailing master up a bit. He was gently lowering him back into a normal sleeping position when a shrill scream suddenly broke into the night. 

San almost dropped the bowl of water he was holding in shock, but dove under Yeosang’s hammock with it as Wooyoung sprinted to his own. Sure enough, Yeosang was jolted awake by the scream, and in his sleepy state, didn’t notice his still damp hair. Instead, the sailing master stumbled out the door to Jongho and Mingi’s room. Wooyoung glanced in confusion at San, who was emerging from under the hammock now that the coast was clear. “It’s Jongho,” was all the explanation he gave, dropping the bowl and running out the door. Wooyoung threw off his blanket with a huff and followed.

Both Hongjoong and Seonghwa were by Jongho’s side already as he tossed and turned. “What’s come over him?” Wooyoung had to yell to be heard, and Mingi shot him a look from his bunk, a pillow pressed over his ears. The Quartermaster dropped the pillow, evidently useless against the commotion, and answered. “He has prophetic dreams sometimes— they can be violent and loud, but nothing to worry yourself over.” 

Yeosang, who stood there rubbing his eyes, seemed like he was about to say something but refrained as Captain stood and acknowledged the three who had just entered. “Oh San, good, you’re up. Could you fetch something to calm him down?” San nodded and rushed off to the infirmary, and Wooyoung cautiously approached Jongho’s bed. “Don’t fret,” Seonghwa was whispering to him. It seemed to be working, because the screams were slowly becoming whimpers, and soon Hongjoong looked up and said, “Go on back to bed, there’s nothing you can do here.” Yeosang, yawning, obeyed and immediately passed out on returning to his hammock, but Wooyoung argued, “There’s no way I’m getting back to sleep now.”

San returned with some kind of medicine and administered it to a mumbling Jongho who was gradually waking up. Mingi sighed and grabbed his coat, heading for the door. “I don’t think I’ll get back to sleep either, it’s my turn at the wheel in an hour anyway.” Hongjoong simply nodded as Mingi left, and continued rubbing Jongho’s arm, encouraging him back to consciousness. San glanced around before mouthing to Wooyoung, “Yeosang?” “Went back to bed,” Wooyoung mouthed back. San couldn’t keep the grin off his face and so politely excused himself to his quarters. Wooyoung felt slightly uncomfortable with his friends gone, but perched on Mingi’s empty hammock and watched Jongho come to.

“Captain!” The youngest gasped, trying to sit up and being gently pushed back by Seonghwa. “I’m here, Jongho,” Hongjoong answered softly. Despite tears streaking down his cheeks, Jongho stared stone-faced at his captain and began to speak. “There was a dark maze, with no way out...and a shard of silver behind iron bars...iron bars and stone walls...garrisons loaded with firepower...and ships in the water! Ships sinking in the water...everything’s on fire! The fire was so hot, I thought I was going to die Captain—I” “Hush now,” Seonghwa pulled the boy into his arms as he broke into sobs and Hongjoong drew back into himself, clearly disturbed and clutching his left wrist like a lifeline. It took three times of Seonghwa saying his name for the captain to snap out of it. “Oh yes, Jongho, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

Wooyoung was completely blindsided by this question. Why on earth was the captain asking him this? The poor boy had just had a horrible nightmare. “When I grow up? Oh, well—“ Jongho’s words stuck in his throat. “I wanted...I always wanted to be... be a...” He scrunched his forehead in thought before looking up at Hongjoong again. “Captain, I can’t remember.”  
“It’s alright Jongho, it’s alright. Quiet now.” Seongwha and Hongjoong shared a look before laying Jongho back down and urging him to sleep. 

Wooyoung was a little more than uncomfortable at that point and took his leave. He found himself at the quarter deck with Mingi, gathering his thoughts while the Quartermaster steered silently. “Does this happen often?” He finally asked. Mingi tilted his head to the side. “Every once in awhile. It always causes a raucous but we do our best to hush it up from the crewmen. What did he see this time?”

“Um...” Wooyoung cleared his throat. “He mentioned a maze. And something about a shard of silver? That was behind bars, in some garrison. Then he started talking about sinking ships and fire...”

“Ships and fire?” Mingi grimaced. Wooyoung nodded and waited, but Mingi didn’t say anything more. “Captain asked Jongho a strange question— does that happen often, too?” The Quartermaster seemed more willing to discuss this than the dream itself, and explained it to Wooyoung. “He’s trying to gauge how much Jongho has forgotten. Every time he has one of these dreams, some of his memories disappear. Our working theory is that because he’s seeing the future, it costs him his past.”

“Seeing the future... you mentioned that back in the cabin, too. But how do you know it’s the future?” “Because it’s come true,” was the simple answer. Mingi gave a couple of examples, “He saw that one of us would lose a leg, and sure enough Yunho did. He knew our destiny lay to the uncharted east before the mystic we visited told us. The list goes on.” Wooyoung’s heart rate picked up. 

“With that many dreams, how much of his life must he have forgotten already?” Mingi finally turned to look at him. “You tell me. What did the Captain ask him?” “What he wanted to be when he grew up... but he didn’t know,” Wooyoung reported nervously. “An athlete. Jongho always wanted to be an athlete. If he’s forgotten that... well, it means about ten years are lost now,” Mingi shook his head helplessly and returned his gaze to the horizon. 

Ten years? That was more than half of his life. “And there’s no way to stop it?” “No,” Mingi’s tone became bitter and he finally let his emotions out. “No way to control it, no way to predict it. It just happens. We think it only started after he joined us, but no one knows for sure. Even that mystic we visited had absolutely nothing to say about it. No one has information at all. Captain’s always worried that something will trigger it, which is why he’s hesitant to let Jongho see any action. He didn’t even promote him to Master-at-Arms until this year. It’s for his own good that we try to protect him, but of course he resents it. His condition is a curse disguised as a gift. You’d do well not to mention it to him. Pretend you heard nothing.”

Wooyoung swallowed and folded his hands as silence fell again. “You should go back to bed,” Mingi finally told him. “The winds are dying. It’ll probably be a long day of rowing tomorrow.” Wooyoung obeyed and padded back to his bed, noticing a sleeping Yeosang oblivious to the rest of the world, only getting a restless half-sleep before the sun peeked through the window.  
.  
San was clutching Wooyoung for support as he hyena-laughed at the sight of Yeosang yelling up into the rigging and scolding Yunho for the atrocity that was his newly bright pink hair. Yunho stayed perched up in his crow’s nest, confused but amused just the same until Yeosang began to attempt climbing up the ropes to him. “Oh he’ll never make it up to him, Yeosang’s awful at climbing,” San giggled. Wooyoung smiled but was still weighed down by the other events of last night and had a few questions for San. “Do ships on fire mean anything to you?” 

San scratched his head. “Not to me, no. That would mean something to Captain, though.” He lowered his voice, “Is this something Jongho saw?” Wooyoung nodded. “But the way Captain reacted to it— it was like he already knew. Or at least that he has some connection to fire ships...” San glanced around and tugged on Wooyoung’s sleeve, pulling him behind the foremast and into a more secluded area before explaining, “Captain hardly talks about his past at all, only Seonghwa and Mingi really know anything. We’ve all heard stories to go off of, but as far as the fire ships are concerned, I think he actually does have a connection to them. If you haven’t heard talk of it already, Captain actually built this ship himself from driftwood when he was abandoned on an island once, and used it to sail to his hometown where he recruited Mingi; that’s how the ATEEZ started. But I’ve also heard tell that before he was on that island his boat was capsized by the Royal Navy sending fire ships after him.”

“Built this ship?” Wooyoung shook his head and took a step back. “Hold on, what exactly are fire ships?” “It’s when someone sets a ship on fire and sends it after you so that your ship sets on fire too. Very dangerous war tactic. Captain’s sworn against using it on anyone ever. Someone suggested it to him once and got marooned. He doesn’t tolerate it at all. That’s why I think those stories are true. That and the long burn scar on his wrist—“

“Gentlemen!” Mingi’s voice sounded very close to where they were standing. Both boys looked up, wide-eyed, but thankfully only orders followed. “She’s becalmed. Everyone’s to man the oars. We’ve entered the doldrums.”

Sweat rolled down Wooyoung’s forehead as he worked for hours, cycling between rowing the oars himself and instructing his team. He was still lost in thought about his conversation that morning. San had mentioned a long burn scar on Captain’s wrist, and come to think of it he had been grabbing onto his wrist when Jongho told him about his vision. Maybe to cover such a scar? Wooyoung would be paying closer attention to those details in the future. He looked around at the hull of the ship as it creaked and groaned. San said Captain had built the ATEEZ himself. This would explain why it seemed that he knew the ship like the back of his hand, and why he was so fervent to protect it. To steal a ship is one thing, but to build it with your own hands while stranded on an island is another.

Seonghwa announced to a grumbling crew that evening that food was going to be more closely rationed. With no wind and no certainty of landfall, there was no way to tell how long their stores would need to last them. Wooyoung kept a careful ear on his monkeys and crewmen, aware that any unheeded grumblings over portions could well become a full-blown mutiny. It was two weeks into the doldrums that Captain called the officers to a dinner in his quarters. Wooyoung’s heart sank when he discovered that the dinner consisted of the same hardtack they’d been eating all week. His stomach was growling but at the same time he knew it was right that they only eat as well as the rest of their crew. 

Hongjoong cut straight to the point. “I haven’t seen any birds since we left port and if we don’t spot any by the next few days, it’s likely that land is still another week off. We don’t need to decide anything tonight, but I want to hear your opinions and ideas.” Mingi already had something to say. “We’ve only enough water for another five days if everyone bides their rations. Our stores can’t be stretched evenly another week, and I’m hesitant to leave them unguarded with men lying awake, hungry.” There were sighs all around the table. Wooyoung could see on Hongjoong’s face the conflict over whether to continue or alter course. “There are whispers on deck, Captain,” Yunho reported. “It’s too early to say if they’re plotting something or not, but the number of grumblings grows daily.” “Several deckhands have fallen sick already,” San chimed in. “I’m running out of room for everyone and we’re going to be sending bodies off the gangplank soon if we don’t find water.” 

Hongjoong’s eyes were on the table, uneaten food on his plate. “The sea plays nasty tricks on a sailor’s mind. Everyone’s afraid of being stuck out here, but the reality is we’re already stuck.” He looked to Yeosang for confirmation. Yeosang shifted uncomfortably in his chair before explaining, “We left land a fortnight ago. We’ve no wind still and not enough food to last another fortnight if we turn back. If there is land to the north or south there is no record of it.” “So what you’re saying,” Wooyoung finally piped up. “Is that if we turn back now, we’ll certainly die...” Jongho finished for him. “...But if we keep going there’s no telling what will happen.” Captain nodded. After another silence, Seonghwa turned to Hongjoong. “We should give the men a choice. Those that want to stay may do so, and those that want to leave take a longboat whichever direction they please.” Jongho scoffed. “That’s suicide. What are we going to do, give the traitors our rations?” There was another uncomfortable silence before Hongjoong cleared his throat. “Yes. That’s what we’ll do. Split the rations between those that want to say and those that want to leave. That goes for all of you, too. If you think you can row fast enough, you have my permission to abandon ship. Think on it and give me your decision tomorrow, then we’ll inform the crew.” With that he stood and dusted off his coat, leaving his plate on the table. San snatched up the bread without hesitation, putting it in his bag. “For the infirmary,” he mumbled. Noticing Wooyoung’s stare he added, “Captain will be fine without it, his survival instincts are top tier.” There was no point in hanging around after that, and everyone returned with hunched backs to their stations.

Brushing shoulders with someone unexpectedly, Wooyoung looked up and made eye contact with one of his gun deckhands. “Do you need something?” He asked levelly, doing his best to control the tremor in his voice. “Just come up here to ask what’s to eat, sir,” the man growled. “You’ve already received your rations today,” Wooyoung answered. “But it looks like you officers have got a little something extra in there...” came the reply along with an accusing finger pointed at the captain’s quarters. Wooyoung closed his eyes and sighed. This was what he’d been afraid of. Suddenly angry, he drew himself up and decided to cut off the problem at the root. “If you’re trying to complain about your food, you’d best keep it to yourself. I can assure you we’re eating no better than you and if you’ll just be patient and remember your station you’ll be well fed soon enough. Now back to your post.” Thankfully his tone and gaze were intimidating enough to deter the man from making any more accusations, and he slunk away into the darkness of the rigging, swaying slightly. 

It was another sleepless night, full of wondering whether he ought to stay or do what the back of his mind had been nagging him to do since he first boarded the ATEEZ; escape. Reaching no conclusion, Wooyoung rose to Seonghwa’s whistle and assumed his post for the morning. A powder monkey came up to him unexpectedly and whispered in his ear that one of the gunmen wasn’t moving. With a sinking feeling, Wooyoung ran to the gun deck and pushed the crowd of men out of his way. Sure enough, the gunner from the night before lay, unmoving, on the floor. Trying and failing to wake him, Wooyoung checked for breath and found none. A heartbeat was absent, too. “He’s dead,” he finally announced. Part of him was still in utter disbelief. A death already and he hadn’t rubbed the sleep out of his eyes yet. The crowd around him murmured before a voice broke out, “Who gets his rations?” In seconds, the crowd was everywhere pushing, shoving, and yelling and Wooyoung was stumbling through dragging the dead body behind him towards the helm until he collapsed, gasping, at Hongjoong’s feet. The Captain bent to help him up while Mingi took the wheel. 

“A man is dead,” Wooyoung choked out. “And a riot is starting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It went from lighthearted to dire real fast!! Please let me know if you’re enjoying :)


	8. Extremes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A question had been answered and a few more had been raised, but Wooyoung didn’t get the chance to ask them before Yeosang burst into the galley with orders. “The riot’s over. Wooyoung, it’s time to commit your gunman to the sea.”

Immediately Hongjoong was handing Wooyoung off to Seonghwa and heading for the gun deck, flanked by Jongho and Yeosang without needing to issue a command. 

Wooyoung could feel Seonghwa’s soft hands tugging him in the direction of the galley, but didn’t hear a word the boatswain was murmuring. His stomach was churning and his head spinning. The death of that gunman had triggered something inside him, as the deck spun below him and something snapped. He suddenly registered seawater being splashed onto his face until he spluttered, “Enough!” 

He repeated himself for a minute or two after the water had stopped being thrown and he had been guided to a chair. Gasping, Wooyoung tried to collect his thoughts. Registering it was Seonghwa who had splashed him, he had enough of his mind together to shoot him a dirty look that was ignored.

To put it simply, he was overwhelmed. It had been only a month on this ship and already he’d sailed to uncharted islands, battled a sea monster, heard tales of dragons, been promoted to an officer, gotten drunker than he ever had been in his life, witnessed the fever dreams of a prophet, been stranded and starving in the doldrums, and now one of his men had died. Sure, life hadn’t been easy under Captain Si-Hyuk. He’d never eaten well, he’d been caned for as little as carrying out an order a few seconds too slow, and he’d been in battle. Blood spurting, powder flying, grown men screaming kind of battle. He had friends that hadn’t come back to their bunks at night because they’d gone to sleep in the sea, riddled with grapeshot. But somehow this situation made him lose his senses in a sudden attack of panic unlike anything he’d ever experienced.

There was something about this startlingly young and treasure-hungry captain restlessly sailing on into the unknown, winds and rations be damned, with a small band of equally juvenile young men all with stomach-turning backstories that have come through horrors with each other. Something disturbing was at work here and Wooyoung’s instinct to run away had never been stronger than at that moment. Other children running a ship, a place where violence was almost always present and disease broke out at the drop of a hat, but why? Why? The question Wooyoung had been trying to formulate since day one desperately needed an answer. But he remembered their situation. Not enough supplies to carry on like this or to make it home, and the men that were under his command, whose lives he was responsible for, had broken out in a fight below.

What’s Captain going to do?

“The only thing he can for the present.” Wooyoung startled at Seonghwa’s answer, not realising he had spoken his question aloud. “Remind the men of the chain of command and wait for things to die down. Hopefully they’ll remember soon that rioting won’t change their circumstances at all,” He continued, closing the door and leaning against it, clearly exhausted. Wooyoung could see hunger in his eyes, and knew without asking that Seonghwa hadn’t been eating either. He took a moment to consider the boatswain. He always had a quiet manner and a statuesque appearance, but the emotion swimming in his eyes loosened Wooyoung’s tongue and he found himself asking the question he really wanted the answer to, “Why are we here?”

Seongwha didn’t answer, and for a moment Wooyoung thought he hadn’t heard the question but before he could repeat it Seonghwa moved from the door and pulled up a chair across from him. “It’s complicated,” he sighed. “I can assume you’re asking because you want to decide whether to stay or take your chances.” Wooyoung knew he couldn’t lie about this, and simply nodded. “Well, rest assured, you’re not alone. Most of the officers don’t have the full story, but I can promise there’s good reason for that.” Wooyoung had to clear his throat before asking, “Do you have the full story?”

Seongwha’s eyes smiled at him, though his face remained cold. “I believe so. And you’re correct, it does have to do with Captain’s own story.” 

“I didn’t say—“

“You didn’t have to. Everyone gives up and asks eventually. If you think this will help you decide, I’ll tell you what it is we’re going for.” Wooyoung’s hands had stopped shaking and he leaned forward as Seongwha began.

“This is not just a treasure hunt. You may have deduced it to be the case from the maps and the uncharted territory, but Captain wants more than that. The treasure is the location of someone very dear to him, though you may recognise the name; Eden.”

Eden was a name even the youngest, most inexperienced deckhand would know. The dread pirate Eden, youngest pirate captain ever to sail the seas, a notoriously clever thief and a formidable enemy to all he overtook. Eden had once commanded an entire fleet of ships until they were finally sunk by the Royal Navy several years ago and the pirate presumed dead. Wooyoung shivered, and not from the water still dripping down his back. “Eden is alive?”

“Hongjoong believes he is. Every land we’ve found has had some clue, some trace that Eden and his crew have been there. This is why we keep sailing east, the direction we believe he’s gone. We’re retracing his footsteps and following the path he’s set for us.”

A question had been answered and a few more had been raised, but Wooyoung didn’t get the chance to ask them before Yeosang burst into the galley with orders. “The riot’s over. Wooyoung, it’s time to commit your gunman to the sea.”

It was rare that Wooyoung ever witnessed such a ceremony as this on board Si-Hyuk’s ship. Most loss of life occurred in battle, and there was rarely time to say a few words over a dead body, so casualties were tossed overboard without ceremony. It was the combination of this and the fact that Wooyoung didn’t personally get to know this dead man that resulted in a very short and awkward little ceremony. The riot had been calmed (from what he had heard all it took was Captain’s announcement that they’d be able to choose whether to stay or go) and the atmosphere was again a suffocating stillness.

Everyone repositioned the hats on their heads and resumed their posts after Wooyoung dismissed them. Another day dragged on, and Wooyoung was hesitant to return to his own station for all the eyes he could feel on his back but kept his head high and his eyes on the horizon. Another sleepless night arrived, but this time the creaking of pulleys echoed through the cabins and eventually Wooyoung gave up and went on deck to see what it was. He almost tripped over a sleeping Yunho and whispered, “You know the penalty for falling asleep on watch is holding up cannon chambers until you’re allowed to lower your arms.” “So?” Yunho mumbled. “Captain never punishes me.” Still, the Master rigger looked lively at the reminder. 

Wooyoung looked over the side of the ship and discovered where the noise was coming from. A small group of men was lowering a longboat into the sea. He was about to yell desertion when he remembered they were allowed to go. He was allowed to go. He stared at the lantern light reflecting off the cannons before rushing back to his cabin and shoving the few belongings he had obtained in the past month into a small bag. In his hurry to escape, he didn’t hear Yeosang sitting up in his hammock.

“Leaving?” 

Wooyoung dropped his bag in surprise. What ensued was a silent stare-off with Yeosang. Finally, Wooyoung nodded, and then hung his head. Yeosang kept staring at him but didn’t say anything, only leaning back in his hammock. Wooyoung shouldered his bag and moved toward the door but with each step the weight of Yeosang’s silent eyes burdened him. He made the mistake of looking back, hand on the door. Yeosang was still staring. 

I can’t leave him alone.

Wooyoung closed the door, dropped his bag and got back in his hammock. Yeosang said nothing but stared until both boys fell asleep.

The next morning, the master gunner blocked his ears to the reports of men leaving in the night and avoided Yeosang, finding himself once again with Seonghwa in the galley, hungry and knowing there was no food. 

“Are you going to stay?” He finally asked the cook, who sat building barrels. Seonghwa didn’t look up from his cooper business and instead replied, “Yes. Captain and the ATEEZ are my home. No one back on land wants me.” Wooyoung’s eyes filled with concern at such a casual remark. “Were you abandoned as a child?” “No...” Seonghwa closed his eyes as distant memories drifted back. “I was stolen.” Wooyoung remained silent and let Seonghwa speak when he was ready.

“You probably won’t believe me but you know how the royal family have two sons? Well, their second son is me. The child everyone thinks is me was actually switched with me.”

Wooyoung hesitated to question such a ridiculous story because of how seriously Seonghwa was telling it, but asked, “How do you know?” “The woman who calls herself my mother was actually my nurse. She and my father messed around and she gave birth to a son around the same time as my real mother, the Queen did, but her child was deformed and so when I was about five years old, her jealousy became too strong and she switched us and ran away with me. I hardly remember anything before living with her, but my parents rarely spent time with me anyway so I didn’t realise anything was wrong. They never came and looked for me, thinking the replacement son was really me. Now I’ll reckon he’s almost grown and they still haven’t figured it out.”

Wooyoung swallowed roughly. “I’m sorry. But what about your brother? Did he realise you were switched?” Seonghwa sat back and shrugged. “I haven’t seen him or anyone from the palace since. Mother—the nurse— told me I didn’t know how to do anything, having had everything done for me before, always saying I was weak and incapable. She taught me how to cook and then sent me to be the cooper’s apprentice on a merchant ship. A ship that, of course, was overtaken by Hongjoong on a then much smaller ATEEZ a few years ago. He told me if I cooked for them he wouldn’t hang me from the yardarm and so here we are, friends now.”

“If you ever did go back—“ “I’m never going back,” Seonghwa cut Wooyoung off. “My parents didn’t love me enough to recognise me, and the nurse only loved me because of my looks. She sent me away, too. This is the only place I can stay, do you understand?” Wooyoung sighed and nodded, unsure of what to say next. Seonghwa went back to work on the barrel, and Wooyoung considered how even though San was the doctor, it seemed that Seonghwa had such a naturally compassionate personality that he was the best person to come to for healing. But where did Seonghwa go for healing? Wooyoung thought about the distress he had seen on his face as he told his story. His thoughts were interrupted by a rap on the door and a gunman telling him, “You’re needed on deck, sir.” 

Wooyoung sensed immediately the change in the weather as he and Seonghwa joined Captain, Mingi, and Yeosang on the quarterdeck. “What’s going on?” Jongho asked, making his way over. “It’s the wind,” Yeosang was beaming. “Wind?!” San ran up the stairs from where he was sawing some boards on the main deck. Yeosang simply nodded as they all closed their eyes and felt their hair rustling and the gentle touch of breeze on their backs. Seonghwa took to the main deck in three strides and pulled out his whistle. “Hoist the mainsail!” He ordered and then gave his all hands on deck call with the boatswain’s whistle. Yunho and his riggers sprung into action to take advantage of the wind, and cheers broke out on board. “Work makes a happy crew!” Mingi’s laughed was carried by the wind, the first wind in what felt like an eternity. Rowing no longer needed, Wooyoung sat on the main deck with San, helping him with his little carpentry project and zoning off while he tried to explain it to him. 

“And then if I attach a rope here and another one to the ceiling, you can hang the box and sleep in it instead of a hammock!”

“How is sleeping in a box any better than sleeping in a hammock?”

“Well more room for pillows of course...”

Wooyoung let him chatter on until he spotted something, “Do you see those clouds over there?” San gave a quick glance and went back to his work. “Nothing to be worried about, I’m sure. Just be happy there’s wind now! I’m sure we’ll make landfall soon.” San’s confident smile was convincing and Wooyoung dropped the subject, smiling back.

But of course mid-afternoon the clouds stretched out and became a full-on thunderstorm. At the first bolt of lightning spotted Mingi was at Hongjoong’s side asking about the best course of action. “We can’t run it.” Mingi was speechless, “But we always run it, you can’t possibly want us to heave to?” Captain sighed, “Look at it Mingi, the clouds stretch literally across the horizon, if we bear to port like usual, we’ll still get caught in it and demasted.” 

So orders began with Hongjoong listing off things to counteract the pressure of the wind on the sails, their first problem that could send all hands to the bottom of the sea. “Reef the sails! Yunho, you’re trimming the mainsail. I want the jib and headsail left alone for momentum. Jongho’s crew, ballast the lower decks and stay there, unless any man is half decent at rigging in which case stay and take your orders from Yunho. Same to the gun crews, secure the cannons, batten all hatches and stow flames. We have very little time on our side, let’s be prepared.” 

Wooyoung realised the ATEEZ didn’t carry any storm sails, and if this was more than a squall, it would be a test of her endurance to stay in one piece until it was over. After securing everything and seeing his men to the ballast, where Seongwha guided them to concentrate as many weights and heavy things as they could, Wooyoung presented to Yunho. “I’m light and decent at ropes, what needs to be done?” Yunho had to yell to be heard over the thunder that was getting closer as he followed his men up the mainmast.  
“Furl the lower courses so she doesn’t list. We’ll all be lost if she does.” 

To address the second problem, waves breaking over the main deck, Captain had everyone else ready to bail water as fast as possible, with Yeosang leading the efforts. San had to stow his bed box project below and join them. The wind made it nearly impossible to walk on deck, but he hung on as it began to pick up. To address the third problem, navigating through this surprise typhoon, Captain had the prow pointed at an angle to the wind just shy of the massive waves rolling towards them. “The sea herself is always our most present danger,” he sighed. 

What followed were hours of work, slippery decks and rigging, and the constant tossing of the sea. Yeosang was suddenly hit with an idea as he fought to keep up with the water washing onto the ship. He disappeared and returned with bags of oil. San gave him a look as he tossed them overboard before explaining, “Oiling the water increases surface tension and decreases spray onto the ship— we won’t have as much water to bail if the oil works.”

Wooyoung observed from above, hands shaking as they grasped the slippery mast on his way back down to deck. The sails were all trimmed to perfection and now fighting the storm was in the Captain’s hands. Wooyoung reached the deck and ducked instinctively hearing Jongho’s yell, “Boom about!” The boom swung sharply over him before he caught and secured it. “Anything else you’ve missed?” Jongho came over to him, trying and failing to wipe his wet face with his wet sleeve. Wooyoung shook his head sheepishly and jumped in to help bail. The work seemed endless, and the waves grew so large by late evening that Hongjoong ordered everyone to lash themselves to the ship and hang on. His own hands were tied to the wheel, and his feet remained fixed though wave after wave broke on him. 

No one caught a wink of sleep, but when the dawn came and Mingi looked out the spyglass from the forecastle he yelled, “Land ho! Hurry to sails now or we’ll be grounded!” Wooyoung was back in the rigging with Yunho, astonishingly stable on his peg leg as always, and realising the wind had died significantly and the rain had ceased. “How long has it been?” He choked out. “About 12 hours. Well done, everyone,” Yunho responded. Wooyoung’s breath had yet to catch up with him, but the sight of an island on the horizon took it away. Yeosang, San, Yunho and Jongho joined him at the rail and watched it grow closer. Finally turning around, the navigator asked the strangely quiet Captain, “What are our orders?” Seonghwa was carefully untying him from the helm and shot the other officers a warning look. Hongjoong looked up, answered “Ready the longboats,” and collapsed into Seongwha’s arms. “Captain, you’re exhausted,” Mingi argued. “Let’s sleep a few hours and then explore.” 

“Alright, belay that order,” Hongjoong mumbled as he was being carried off. “Drop the anchor for a few hours.” He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a thunderstorm today so I banged out the end of this as well as I could. I’ve been sailing a lot recently but if the terminology gets too difficult it’s alright to ask I’ll do my best to explain. Much love <3 pls comment


	9. No Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeosang and Wooyoung met eyes briefly before they went their respective ways. He couldn’t be sure, but Wooyoung thought he saw a spark of fear in Yeosang’s eyes. But he simply nodded and turned to his own partner, following him into the maze and unwinding their rope.

Seonghwa’s “morning” whistle sounded around noon and it was all Wooyoung could do to stumble out of bed. With next to no one on deck, he decided to investigate and found Mingi fast asleep with a note taped to him that read, “Wake Captain if I’m still asleep” Wooyoung rolled his eyes and gingerly crept into the silent Captain’s quarters after his three knocks went unanswered. There he lay completely knocked out as well, breath coming in and out softly. Seeing the dark rings under his eyes for the first time in the sunlight, Wooyoung wondered if Captain was actually in the habit of sleeping ever. 

As he went to shake him, something caught his eye. A crystal hanging from his neck, peeking out from under his shirt, moving up and down slightly with his breathing. It was entrancing, the way it caught the light and twinkled at Wooyoung. It was begging to be taken off and admired, not hidden under a shirt. Wooyoung began to lean forward to get a better look when Captain’s eyes suddenly snapped open. On being woken, Hongjoong’s hand bolted out from under his pillow, gun in hand and aimed directly at Wooyoung’s face. He stumbled back in surprise, but the gun was immediately lowered as the Captain realised it was one of his officers waking him and not an enemy. He sighed and leaned back onto the pillows, gun falling out of his hand and hitting the floor. Wooyoung cleared his throat after a moment. Hongjoong’s eyes slid over lazily to him in a clear plea for more resting time. 

“That’s the boatswain’s whistle, sir,” Wooyoung mumbled, clearing his throat again awkwardly. Hongjoong continued to give him sustained side-eye that screamed both creepy and playful until closing his eyes and sighing. He wobbled as he rose from the bed and put on his coat, Wooyoung still unsure whether he should leave or stand there longer. His eyes traced Hongjoong around the room as he shoved things in a small cloth bag. Maps, a spyglass, extra cartridges, a few ropes... He suddenly straightened and grasped the crystal around his neck, as if making sure it was still there. He glanced at Wooyoung again, face unreadable. “Come along,” Captain grabbed his hat and walked on deck. 

The scuffle of tired sailors responding to Seonghwa’s “Captain on deck!” lasted for a few minutes as everyone was pulled out of bed, looking only slightly less exhausted. Wooyoung tried not to laugh at Jongho’s bed hair and watched the other officers appear, ending with Mingi, whose note was still attached to his chest. “Um, sir...” Yunho pointed to it and muffled a giggle as Mingi noticed the paper, ripped it off and crumpled it in his fist with a quiet, “Thanks.”

Hongjoong addressed the men briefly, “I’ll only need a few volunteers for the boats, the rest of you are free to spend the remainder of your day how you wish. Officers, if you could step aside, please.” Wooyoung’s heart started pounding again. This was strange. He and the others formed a small circle and the Captain began to address them. “It is my understanding that some of our officers would like more information on what we’re doing out here sailing east.” Wooyoung swallowed and tried not to look at San. So Mingi had eavesdropped and ratted them out. Or had it been Seonghwa after their conversation yesterday? Hongjoong’s signature smirk played on his lips as he continued, “It’s an officers-only island exploration tonight. When we get answers, I’ll explain what I can. In the meantime, I expect your unwavering loyalty regardless, is that understood?” There was a chorus of yessirs before Captain turned to Mingi and told him, “I want you staying here in case anything goes wrong. The rest of you, pair up. Be at the boats in ten minutes.”

Wooyoung glanced at Yeosang and San, wondering which of them would ask to pair up with him first. To his surprise, San immediately grabbed Yunho’s arm and beamed at him. Wooyoung turned to Yeosang. Since San and Yunho were cabinmates it would make sense for him and Yeosang to pair up, but as he was about to open his mouth, he realised Yeosang and Jongho were already nodding at each other. So he was left with Seonghwa. “I guess that’s sorted out, then,” he walked to his room to pack before things became awkward again. Not sure what to bring, he threw some weapons and an empty water flask into a bag and stood by himself at the boats. 

Two volunteer rowing teams appeared and Wooyoung was intrigued by the fact that Captain actually let men volunteer instead of telling them to like Si-Hyuk did. Everyone else arrived one by one and the group set off through a fog for the shrouded island before them. 

It looked like a lush and sizeable plot of land from what they could see through the mist. A gentle wind blew them to a long strip of beach. The sand was fine and white and there were fruits on the trees. The men stumbled over each other in their desperation to pluck and eat the juicy fruit hanging off branches and bushes. A beautiful aroma filled the air and Wooyoung, feeling the pang of his growling stomach, was drawn to the trees along with the others. The taste was completely foreign to him, but exhilaratingly sweet and somewhat addictive. He was on his third melon when San came over and shoved a sprig of berries into his hand. His mouth was painted with the bright juice from the berries but he didn’t seem to notice as he shook Wooyoung and said, “Try this!”

Captain bypassed the fruit and knelt in the sand at the treeline, as if he were looking for something. “An opening!” He called out, motioning to the other officers. “Aren’t you hungry, Captain?” Yunho gasped out around a mouthful of melon. “The fruit will still be here when we return, come on.” The seven of them followed the narrow path single file through increasingly thick vegetation, picking off a fruit here and there and eating it until they came upon a fork in the road. There were four paths before them, leading too far ahead to see where they ended, tall bushes on all sides. “A maze,” Yunho breathed out. The smile on Captain’s face was unwavering. “A sign that people have been here— and maybe still are.” 

He turned to them with orders. “Everyone has their partner? Choose a path and see where you end up.” He pulled out his rope and passed the others out to each group. “Use these to mark your path in case you get lost. The fog from the beach may be moving in within the hour. Be careful.” With that he selected the path to the far right and began to walk down it, unwinding his rope and dropping it behind him. “But Captain, what about you? You don’t have a partner!” Jongho yelled after in protest. “I’ll fire a flare if I get in trouble!” Came the response, Captain’s voice already growing distant as he disappeared from view. 

Seonghwa and Wooyoung glanced at each other and chose the path to the left of Hongjoong’s. San and Yunho took the far left and Yeosang and Jongho were left with the fourth path. Yeosang and Wooyoung met eyes briefly before they went their respective ways. He couldn’t be sure, but Wooyoung thought he saw a spark of fear in Yeosang’s eyes. But he simply nodded and turned to his own partner, following him into the maze and unwinding their rope. 

Yeosang was listening intently to the sounds around him and trying to discern how far away the other groups had gotten by how distant their voices were. Soon, he lost the sound altogether and could only unwind the rope gingerly and follow Jongho down the path. The two had to mind their step, Yeosang tripping forward onto Jongho over some roots that crossed the tiny, dusty path. 

“Careful,” Jongho turned to look at him, caution painted all over his face. “I don’t like this,” he admitted. Right on cue, a voice drifted out of the fog. Both boys jumped before stilling and listening intently. It was a tune, softly sung somewhere ahead of them in the mist. “It’s singing, it’s singing a mermaid song...” the realisation hit Yeosang right as Jongho suddenly passed out and began to fall backward. 

Yeosang dove to catch him from behind and lowered him to the ground. “What—“ Jongho’s eyes flew open and rolled upward as convulsions suddenly shook him. “Oh no,” Yeosang panicked. It was one of his dreams, one of his nightmares. But here of all places? And now? “No no no! But I don’t have your medicine, San does!” Jongho began to whimper as he shook violently under Yeosang’s hands. Yeosang felt completely useless trying to calm Jongho and bring him back. There was no way to stop the nightmare once it started. All he could do was give him the medicine. Face hardening, Yeosang rose and tied the rope to his partner’s arm. “I’ll be right back, Jongho. And I’ll bring the medicine, just stay put.” With that he ran back the way they had come, following the rope backwards and dodging the roots on the ground. He didn’t even notice the singing had stopped.

...

Yunho and San had kept a lively but meaningless conversation going to pass the time and disguise the way their hearts were both beginning to sink as their path went on and on in a straight line. Yunho was in charge of rolling out the rope and dropping it, and he was beginning to be afraid that he would run out before they got anywhere. San suddenly interrupted himself to point out the fog that was descending on them. Yunho simply nodded and let out a low breath. “Look, another fork in the road,” he whispered anxiously. 

Sure enough, there was a split with a path going left and one winding right. “Which one do we take?” San left the decision to Yunho. They peered down both ways for a moment before Yunho sighed. “There’s not much of a difference, and we’ve run out of rope. Let’s just keep left, and if it’s a dead end we’ll retrace our steps and go right.” They dropped the rope and stumbled on through the fog until Yunho’s stomach growled. “I’m hungry again,” he mumbled. San looked at him and clicked his tongue. “I’m sure it’s fine if we sit and eat for a minute,” he suggested. “We’ve gotten far ahead of everyone else most likely, going in a straight line.” He looked back at where the split had been, but couldn’t make it out through the mist.

San hummed shakily, pulling out some berries and splitting them between the two. Yunho sighed with satisfaction and stretched. “I’ve been feeling dizzy, but I think I’ve finally got my land legs back.” San looked at him with a sparkle in his eyes. “You mean land leg.” Both of them burst out laughing for a moment, hiccuping on the fruit still in their mouths, when suddenly San whipped out his gun and aimed it just above Yunho’s head. Yunho’s eyes grew as round as saucers and he hit the ground and turned to see what San was pointing at, just as he fired a shot into the fog. There was a woman standing in the middle of the road, and the bullet went right through her and out the other side. San tried again, but again the bullet went straight through the silhouette in the fog. He lowered his gun, hand trembling. “Noona?”

...

The atmosphere started to feel heavy, and Wooyoung wasn’t sure if it was just him or something actually going on in the air. He wanted desperately to make conversation and be distracted, but he had nothing much to say and Seonghwa seemed occupied with his own thoughts. They made a few sharp turns, but the path was still headed in the same general direction, judging by the position of the sun. As he unwound the rope after a bend to the left, Wooyoung checked the sun again and noticed fog covering it and the tips of the bushes around them. He swallowed, trying to push down the queasy feeling that was growing inside him and pressed on. He felt eyes on him a moment later.

Seonghwa’s stare persisted. “Are you alright?” Wooyoung told the truth, “A little lightheaded. May just be nerves...” “Let’s sit for a moment.” As he looked closer, Wooyoung realised from the darting of his eyes and bouncing knees that Seonghwa was jittery too. Suddenly the motion stopped as Seonghwa turned his head upward. Wooyoung followed his gaze and froze. “Did you hear that?” Seonghwa whispered. Wooyoung’s tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth but he made a barely audible high pitched noise in response. It was the sound of a gunshot. Just as they rose and began retracing their steps, another went off, and this time they were sure of it. “Someone’s in trouble!”

...

Yeosang reached the entrance to the maze and turned to the path on the far left, remembering that was the way San and Yunho went. He picked up the end of the rope that lay there and began to follow it. After a few minutes he realised the path was more or less a straight line, and picked up the pace. San and Yunho must have gotten far without having to make any turns. Suddenly the rope ended and he was faced with a fork in the road. His stomach dropped. There were two options and he had no idea now which San and Yunho had taken.

Yeosang closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head. His only option was to guess and hope it was the correct path. “I’ll go right,” he whispered to himself. “The fog isn’t as thick there.” He worked up a steady jog and pressed on even as he could feel the sun setting behind him. A wall of green appeared before him and he almost collided with it. “A dead end?” But there was another opening to the right that led on, so sucking in a breath, he continued. Time was ticking away and Jongho was still in a trance, he knew. Doubt started to creep into his mind as he turned another corner. Had he gone the right way? He turned around to see behind him, but night had fallen. All that remained was blackness, the hairs standing up on his neck, and his own laboured breathing. He was lost.

...

“San, she’s not real. Listen to me, no one is there! You’re hallucinating!” Yunho’s pleas went unheeded as San continued to stare at the spot above his partner’s head where he believed his half-sister to be. 

She looked just like he remembered, and as real as Yunho who had grasped his shoulders and was shaking him now. “Why did you leave me, San?” She spoke to him, and her voice sounded broken and betrayed. His eyes filled with tears as he tried to work out a response. “Was I too much of a burden?” “No, no it wasn’t you—“ he finally choked. “Your illness... there was just nothing more to be done—the doctor said so!— and... well, I’ve found this new job and it pays well, noona! I was going to come back and find you and pay for all the medicine and the procedures. B-but how are you here? How did you get better already?”

“She’s not here, San!” Yunho was practically dragging him back the way they’d come at this point. But San could only focus on this apparition that was advancing toward him. “I don’t believe you.” Her voice was monotone now, and San could see a fire growing in her eyes. “You were scared, San. You still are. Scared of being alone, surrounded by all these people but cold inside like you always have been.”

“Noona, please,” San was sobbing now and Yunho was afraid he’d go into hysterics if he didn’t do something soon. He had extended his arm to slap him when a voice came from behind. “Yunho, San? Is that you?” San spun around in a panic and fired his gun at the shape forming in the mist, before gasping in horror.

Shocked eyes clouding over, blood leaking from between his fingers, hands clutched around his midsection, Seonghwa slumped to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SaN sHoT sEoNgHwA?!???  
> DONT KILL ME IM SORRY! I warned you it was action packed... also a note, the part where I mentioned Hongjoong’s eyes sliding over lazily, imagine that look he always does. You know the one I’m talking about, if not go rewatch the beginning of promise mv. Please give kudos, comment and all that if you don’t mind. I’d love to know your thoughts and predictions!


	10. Maddox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hongjoong took a right turn and then a left turn and then the path was a straight shot. His speed from before slowed to a more cautious pace as he took in his surroundings. The sun was quickly sinking, and he wasn’t sure whether he had simply lost track of time or the fog was making it seem lower than it was. His hand gravitated to the gun at his side and remained there, ready to brandish it the first sign of trouble.

Hongjoong took a right turn and then a left turn and then the path was a straight shot. His speed from before slowed to a more cautious pace as he took in his surroundings. The sun was quickly sinking, and he wasn’t sure whether he had simply lost track of time or the fog was making it seem lower than it was. His hand gravitated to the gun at his side and remained there, ready to brandish it the first sign of trouble. 

Through the mist, the shape of a building came into view. Hongjoong hadn’t noticed it before, but again he wasn’t sure if it was him or the tall bushes of the maze concealing the walls behind them. The end of the path became the entry to a courtyard of stone, cool and slightly damp to the touch. The wrought iron gate was swung wide open, so the Captain tied the end of his rope to it and walked through. It was noticeably bare for a courtyard, but the towering fort it led to was impressive. Hongjoong made his way to a wooden door that led inside and, finding it to be unlocked, took one last look around and entered.

The hall he crept into was as dark and cold as the space outside, but Hongjoong could see a warm light emitting from the crack of a doorway on the other side of the wing. He made his way over silently and sidled up to the door, tilting his head until he could see a sliver of the inside with his eye. There were three people seated at a table laughing heartily, pints of grog splayed out in front of them. As one of them sat back in his chair, Hongjoong recognised the crest on his uniform.

The Royal Navy.

He gasped and began to back away from the door, trying to grab it as it opened a little too far. Holding his breath, he kept his eye trained on the man facing his direction whose shirt he had seen. Sure enough, the soldier’s smile faded and he quietly asked the other men, “Did you hear a noise just now?” Both soldiers looked around, and Hongjoong debated whether to make a break for it and give away his position or sneak off and hope they didn’t come looking. 

“It’s just a draft. You forgot to shut the courtyard door again, didn’t you?” One of the men responded and the first soldier rolled his eyes and stood. Realising he was going to close off his exit, Hongjoong ducked into the nearest corridor and pressed himself to the wall. He could see the man approach, shut the courtyard door, and return to the room with the table, closing the door behind him. Hongjoong exhaled through his nose and looked around him. There was a staircase leading to a second floor. 

The young captain sighed and pulled out Eden’s map. Apart from a few spots for islands in the west, one island with an X marked on it, and Eden’s bird symbol, the map was empty. It hadn’t warned about the Doldrums and it didn’t help with the island they were on currently, but Hongjoong knew there was more to it than initially meets the eye. He just didn’t know how to read it yet. 

Realising he didn’t have many options now, he ascended the stairs in front of him, hoping for a window he could climb out of and return to the courtyard. If the Navy had truly taken over this island, it was unquestionably safer to leave before they were discovered and hope they would find clues somewhere else. The rewards for turning each of them in dead or alive were accumulating on their heads every day. Hongjoong’s eyes stung at the thought of missing something important and losing their chance to find Eden, but he knew in his gut that he couldn’t risk the lives of his crew— his friends.

The staircase made a sudden turn and then opened up into a large room. Bookcases lined the walls, illuminated by soft candlelight. There were wooden tables in the center of the room, empty and dust covered, and as Hongjoong gazed up he could see a spiral iron staircase on the far side of the room that led to a balcony lining the ceiling. His breath was snatched away at the sight of so many books in one place. This beautiful, untouched room was just lying here for him to discover when he needed information? It was too fortunate a coincidence to pass up, and after another prudent scan of the area to make sure he was truly alone, Hongjoong ran to the nearest bookcase and started skimming titles. 

The young captain quickly surmised that the books were organised by subject, of which there was a plethora. As tempted as he was to delve into an analysis of artistic renditions of the previous century’s most famous flagship, he tried to narrow his search to materials directly relevant to their current voyage, keen not to waste time and risk being caught. 

He had made his way around the room and the balcony with no luck when he plopped down on a wooden chair and glanced out the nearest window. The sun was already setting, and none of the other officers had appeared. Hongjoong began to worry that they had gotten stuck in the maze or run out of rope. Resigned, he stood to make his way out the window, gripping the edge and searching his bag for another coil of rope. A sudden clicking sound behind him brought his head whipping around to find the source. The bookcase to his left had sunk further into the wall if that was possible. Hongjoong let go of the windowsill to investigate further when the case suddenly repositioned itself forward again. He turned and looked at the window where his hand had been and placed his hand there again. Sure enough, the bookcase retreated into the wall again. It was a secret door, triggered by a brick on the windowsill. 

Hongjoong smirked at this development and pushed the bookcase further, until he could fit through. The room it hid was darker than the main area, and rows of bookcases stretched on past his vision. It was impossible to tell how large the room actually was, but Hongjoong quickly got to work and checked the theme of the first row. About halfway through the rows of books, he found something intriguing. “Charts and maps of the Far Eastern Sea,” he whispered the title to himself. The dusty tome was situated on the very top of the shelf, and the short statured boy had to fetch the wooden chair from the balcony and stand on it to safely retrieve it. Quickly navigating the table of contents, he skipped to the section on invisible maps. After flipping through a few fragile pages on invisible ink he finally reached the section that suggested solutions to uncover the ink. “A magic glass,” he read aloud to himself. “Similar to the magnifying glasses so popular in archaeology and navigation, only additionally capable of illuminating hidden characters and invisible ink... However they are very rare, the largest reported accumulation of magic glasses was lost to the sea on the Sunken Island. Sunken Island?” He had never heard of it and had no idea where it was.

“Well you’re not Royal Navy,” an amused voice behind him nearly caused Hongjoong to fall off the chair. He whirled about so fast he almost dropped the book, but instead raised it as a makeshift weapon to strike whomever had snuck up on him. The hooded figure upturned his face and smiled. Hongjoong lowered the book in disbelief.

“Maddox?”

“Hongjoong!”

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Hongjoong abruptly stepped off the chair and met the hooded man in a tight hug. “I can’t believe you’re alive,” Maddox whispered, tears threatening. Hongjoong pulled back to get a look at the man and blushed when he realised he was being sized up too. Maddox looked almost exactly as Hongjoong remembered, nose ring and all. He had truthfully only encountered the man a few times, but Maddox was Eden’s trusted quartermaster back in the day, and the time Hongjoong spent on Eden’s ship had been some of the happiest moments of his life. Maddox was only about four years older than him but had been such a reliable hyung and excellent mentor on the one voyage Hongjoong took with Captain Eden before things fell apart that he was almost brought to tears to be reunited with him. “A ghost from the past I’m actually happy to see for once,” he smiled broadly as Maddox led him to another room beyond the hidden chamber. “Come this way,” the older man was urging him excitedly. “We’ve so much to catch up on!”

Once the two were settled in some nicer leather chairs by a fireplace, Maddox spoke. “How on earth did you end up here?” Hongjoong gave him a brief and very modest summary of the voyage of the ATEEZ, from surviving the Navy attack to building the ship to recruiting members. “I wanted to find Eden again, so I went to his hometown where we found a parchment with the address of this mystic on it. When we went to her island, she advised us to travel east if we wanted to find him. I honestly began to wonder if we were chasing after nothing, but having found you— we must be on the right track!”

The smile in Maddox’s eyes as Hongjoong recounted his story faded at this last remark. “I think it’s most impressive that you managed to follow his trail thus far...” Hongjoong frowned at the apprehensiveness in Maddox’s pause. “But...?” Maddox sighed, “But I think you should stop looking for him. Because he doesn’t want to be found.” Hongjoong’s mouth dropped open. “Doesn’t want to be found? But, Maddox! If he doesn’t know I’m alive then of course I’ve got to find him! I’ve got to show him! I don’t care how dangerous it is now!” 

Maddox sighed as Hongjoong became agitated. “Hongjoong, look. Eden’s not quite who he used to be. Ever since he lost you in that fight, some of the fire went out of him. He’s in hiding now, I don’t even know where he is. That’s the whole reason we’re out here; we fled east away from the Royal Navy— the Navy we thought had killed you!” His eyes traced the imperfections in the floorboards. “You don’t know what that did to him, Hongjoong.” 

Hongjoong was fighting tears. “No, I don’t know. But it’s just unfair; I survived everything up until this point, I did everything he taught me just to get here! You can’t tell me everything I dreamed when we were young, the life I wanted with all of you... has come to nothing.” Maddox nodded at this outburst. The kid had a point, and if anyone deserved to bring Eden out of hiding, it was him. He could see that Hongjoong wasn’t the same boy he had met years ago, straw sticking out of his hair, a broad and naïve smile despite the bruises on his face. The twinkle in this young captain’s eyes was the same but the things he had seen and done had truly changed him. Maddox leaned forward and tried to catch the boy’s eye. “Just because I don’t think it’s a good idea to try to find him, doesn’t mean I won’t help you.” Hongjoong finally glanced up. “So you’ll tell me what happened to you?” Maddox sighed and scratched the back of his neck. “What are you doing on this island with the Royal Navy?” Hongjoong continued to push for answers. 

“When he thought he lost you, it took Eden months to come back,” Maddox finally began the tale. “I waited with the rest of the crew in the harbour where he had left us to fetch you and help you escape your family. You can’t imagine how excited we were to have you with us again, for good this time. And then no word for weeks until Youngsaeng overheard some off-duty Navy officers bragging about sinking Eden’s famous ship. We thought we had lost both of you until he suddenly returned, refusing to speak about it. When I finally got him to open up, he told me about everything; your relatives alerting the Navy, the ambush, the fire ships—“ here Hongjoong flinched, and Maddox watched him intently before going on, “The prices on the rest of our heads were skyrocketing and so we stole a new ship and sailed east. We ran into all kinds of troubles and lost most of the crew along the way. Dagger Cliffs and multiple battles with the Navy when they found us caused damages to our ship. We were fortunate enough not to wake the dragon we found, but it sounds like you weren’t. The skeletons you found on that volcanic island— our men. You’re correct that they killed each other for that cursed gold. A massive typhoon nearly beached us here, but by the time we discovered it was occupied by the Navy already it was too late. Only Eden and a handful of men managed to escape. Everyone else was killed, except me.”

“Why did they let you live? And why aren’t you locked up in a prison cell?” Hongjoong was conscious that he was probably sticking his nose in too far, but couldn’t help the fire in his chest when he heard what his idols had gone through. Maddox seemed to be choosing his words very carefully, never quite meeting Hongjoong’s gaze. “They wanted to use me for information. Ignorant of them, really, because Eden never had a plan and if he’s made one since, I’m not privy to it. I think they keep me alive in the hopes that he’ll come back for me. As long as I don’t act up, they keep me comfortable.”

Hongjoong was unsettled by this. “Why did word never reach the mainland that Eden was alive? All this time following him, it was only on a feeling.” Maddox shrugged at this. “The Eastern Sea is very disconnected from the rest of the world. Any message on this side of the Doldrums has a slim chance of getting back home. And it’s not just that... there are magical forces that get stronger the further east you sail. Things tend to very inconveniently go wrong at the worst times.” He had to admit everything added up, and so Hongjoong finally leaned back in his chair and pulled out Eden’s map again. “Mingi found it in an abandoned house on Smokey Island. I can’t read it, but this book says there’s a magic glass I can use on Sunken Island.” “Mingi? Scrawny Mingi that Eden used to talk about? You made that kid your quartermaster?” Maddox chuckled at the memory of Eden’s stories of spending time with the children at the coast. Hongjoong couldn’t help but smile, too. “You should see him now, he’s grown well.” 

Returning to the matter at hand, a shadow passed over Maddox’s face. “Sunken Island.” Hongjoong perked up. “You’ve been?” “No, but it’s the next stop after this one. Some of the Navy officers talk about it occasionally. It’s near impossible to get into. One man made it there and back once, but he came back half-dead and his voice was gone. When he regained use of his hands he wrote that the sirens there tested him and he lost his voice to them. Only by chance did he keep his life.” Hongjoong swallowed. “I know it won’t be easy, but it’s the only way to find Eden. And I need to find him, for both our sakes.” 

He hadn’t seen it before, caught up in the smiles and bright eyes that reflected the past, but the Maddox before him was also a shadow of his former self, underneath the mask. “Let me see the map,” the man asked. He took it and a quill and protractor and began to mark the location of Sunken Island. “Beyond that, I can’t help you. But if anyone can get there, you can.” He flashed a genuine smile at the young captain. “Come with us,” Hongjoong urged quietly. “You know I can’t,” Maddox’s smile was unwavering as he shook his head. “The Navy officers don’t know you’re here yet. Your ship is still disguised by the fog. If I disappear, they’ll come after us, and we won’t get far past their shore batteries. It’s better if I stay and buy you time. But let me give you some supplies for the journey.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Hongjoong informed him. “My men have been collecting plenty of fruit this whole time.” “Fruit from the beach?” Alarm was suddenly written all over Maddox’s face. “Yes...” “The fruit here is no good, it causes hallucinations. Visual and auditory. Men have gotten high on it, wandered into that maze down there, and never come out. No one knows where they go, but I don’t want any of your hands going there. I have food and water I can give you, safe food. I’ll go pilfer a few barrels, the cook won’t notice, he’s probably drunk already.”

Maddox walked off into yet another room to the side and Hongjoong went to the window. He had broken into a cold sweat at the mention of drugged fruit. Perhaps that was the reason his officers still hadn’t found the fort. Perhaps they were stuck down there in that maze, chased by figments of their imaginations. It was time to leave this place. Soon Maddox returned and the two had a system going to carefully lower the barrels to the courtyard so that they could be rolled out the maze and to the ATEEZ. The time had come for goodbye and both of them knew it. Maddox held Hongjoong back at arm’s length and beamed at him again. “I’m very proud of you, you know. Eden will be, too.” Hongjoong gripped him back, eyes growing wet. “I’m going to find him, Maddox. And I’ll give him hope again. I promise.” 

...

Having successfully snuck out the window to the courtyard, Hongjoong untied the rope from the gate, bound the barrels together, and rolled them as silently as he could into the maze. He was again thankful for the few turns as visibility was at an all time low for the evening. On reaching the exit, he suddenly bumped into someone. 

“Jongho? Are you alright?” The youngest officer stood from where he had been pushed to the ground by the barrels and brushed himself off. He looked like a deer in the headlights and Hongjoong instantly knew something was wrong. “Yes, I’m fine now. I just had another dream and... there was a sunken city. The shard of silver is in a sunken city.” “Our next destination,” Hongjoong confirmed. “What brought you to the mermaid cove, Jongho?” Jongho scrunched his eyebrows together, grabbing his head in an attempt to remember, and gripping Hongjoong in a panic when he couldn’t. “I don’t know hyung, I don’t know anything before the cave!” Hongjoong pulled him in for a quick hug, whispering, “It was a storm. You took shelter from a storm there.”

Jongho pulled back and looked at the ground, ashamed. “A vision came at the worst time and it didn’t even help you. What am I coming to?” Hongjoong frowned at him and lifted his head. “None of that, you know how valuable you are, visions or no. Now help me with these barrels.”

...

“Help! Help! We need help over here!” Wooyoung had been screaming his lungs out while pressing his fist into Seonghwa’s bloody wound for the last five minutes. A few feet away San was in hysterics, attempting to escape Yunho’s arms. 

“What’s wrong?” Captain’s voice drifted through the fog and in a moment he, Jongho, and half a dozen barrels appeared before them. “It’s Seonghwa, he... he’s been shot,” Wooyoung gasped out, relieved his cries had finally been heard. Alarmed, Hongjoong glanced at the gun on the ground, the sight of San fighting Yunho to run away, and a bloody and motionless Seonghwa, and deduced in a few seconds what the situation was. He dropped to his knees and checked his boatswain’s vitals. Seonghwa’s eyes fluttered open and stayed trained on his captain, trying to stay silent but Hongjoong could hear his laboured breathing all the same. “Wooyoung I want you to take the barrels and get them loaded on the boat. Inform the other men at the beach that we are to leave for the ATEEZ immediately.”

Wooyoung’s eyes were stuck on Seonghwa, but had gone unfocused. Hongjoong grabbed a shaking shoulder and repeated, “Wooyoung!” Finally the boy met his eyes and nodded tersely. “Yessir.” He clearly didn’t want to leave Seonghwa like this, but followed orders anyway. Yunho and San were practically in a headlock now, and the Captain quickly handed the injured boatswain off to Jongho with orders to make for the beach before rushing over and separating the two. “San, listen to me! Listen!” San’s eyes widened at the Captain suddenly in his face, shaking his shoulders, but began to regain his senses as Hongjoong went on, “Whatever you’ve seen, whatever you’re seeing— it isn’t real! The fruit was drugged, San. Come back to the boat, you have a patient who needs you.”

San’s breathing slowed and he nodded, pushing back the bile that rose in his throat out of disgust for himself and following the Captain docilely. Yunho kept an eye on San as he rolled the barrels to the beach and helped load them. He had been front and center to observe everything that happened in that maze but even if he hadn’t, it didn’t take much insight to see how intensely San was blaming himself. He caught Hongjoong’s eye and tilted his head in San’s direction. The surgeon’s face was stone cold as he climbed into the boat and worked to stop the blood flowing from Seonghwa’s wound, but Hongjoong nodded back to Yunho, understanding what he was trying to say.

They needed to talk.  
...

Mingi paced the quarterdeck faster as the fog moved off the ship. He had kept a faithful watch on the shrouded shoreline Captain’s boat had disappeared to, even though he could only make out the outline of tree edges. The fog was amassing over the island now and away from the ship and the beach and Mingi watched anxiously as shore batteries came into view.

“What is this? A Navy settlement this far East?” He swallowed dryly before giving the order to load the cannons. “Captain had better get back here soon or we might be seeing action.” The sun was setting into the ocean behind them and Mingi knew it wouldn’t be long before the ATEEZ was spotted now that they were no longer hidden. 

Sure enough a warning shot whizzed toward them and hit the waves just short of the bow. Mingi was at the gun deck in a few short strides, collecting his wits as it dawned on him that he was going to have to command all the gun teams by himself. His eyes scanned the gunwale before he began orders, “Open the ports!” The men seemed to understand the urgency of the situation and quickly unbolted the portholes, exposing the shiny necks of the cannons. When he was assured they were properly loaded, Mingi yelled, “Turn them out!” and helped push the cannon nearest into position.

The crews looked to him when their fuses were ready and sprung into action at his order, “Fire as you bear!”

Each cannon blast shook the vessel, but the anchor remained steady. Only two of their shots landed on the principle battery but the men reloaded without prompt and fired again. Mingi felt in his bones the groan of the ship as the bowsprit was splintered by an opposing shot. He immediately spotted the culprit and pointed the cannon out to the gunners. “There he is, take out that cannon! Fire!”

This time the battery was blown to pieces, and a cheer broke out on the gun deck. Mingi sighed in relief, but raised his voice again, “Don’t celebrate yet, there’s another battery to starboard, see!”

...

The crewmen on shore jumped out of their skin at the sudden sound of cannon fire from the ATEEZ, but only began to work faster. The boat was finally loaded and had just pushed off when Hongjoong realised they were a man short:

“Where’s Yeosang?”

Silence.

“Where’s Yeosang, dammit! Who was with him?”

Everyone turned to see Jongho, face stricken with horror, jump off the back of the boat and begin swimming to shore. “Jongho, wait—“ “I’m going to find him!” The youngest yelled over his shoulder.

“No you’re not!” Captain shouted back. “You need to be onboard, you’ve only just had a dream and I can’t risk you having another one!” At that Jongho began to slow down in his strokes. Wooyoung saw his opportunity and took it, shedding his jacket and diving into the water. He swam out to Jongho, ignoring the cries from the longboat, turned him around, and told him, “I’ll go instead, Jongho.”

Jongho knew he couldn’t win this one, and with a grimace swam back to the boat. Hongjoong knew without his report what Wooyoung was planning to do. “Wait!” He yelled, turning around and grabbing something in the boat. He tossed his canvas bag to Wooyoung, who caught it and managed to keep it above water. “Take this. It’ll help you find your way.”

With a yessir and a deep breath of air, Wooyoung turned back toward shore and swam as fast as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! A long chapter ;) Any predictions?? We’ve finally gotten inside Hongjoong’s head a little bit, but we’ve only scratched the tip of the iceberg as it were.  Only a few chapters left for this installment! Please enjoy and leave your comments and kudos if you want more !


	11. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mingi called absentmindedly for the lights to be hung on their poles while he kept a ceaseless watch on the shoreline. So far the batteries had stopped firing, but he was still waiting for Captain and the others to return. Seconds slipped by painstakingly until finally a boat emerged from the mist. All hands were called for to give the Captain the proper customary welcome on deck but immediately after climbing over the rail, Hongjoong blew past everyone and burst into the infirmary.

Mingi called absentmindedly for the lights to be hung on their poles while he kept a ceaseless watch on the shoreline. So far the batteries had stopped firing, but he was still waiting for Captain and the others to return. Seconds slipped by painstakingly until finally a boat emerged from the mist. All hands were called for to give the Captain the proper customary welcome on deck but immediately after climbing over the rail, Hongjoong blew past everyone and burst into the infirmary.

Mingi trailed along, confused, but followed suit and helped clear off space on one of the examination tables. The sight of Jongho rushing in with Seonghwa in his arms explained itself, although Mingi was now full of questions. “Is there anything I can do?” He asked Hongjoong, who was helping to lower Seonghwa onto the table and beckoning San and Yunho inside, each movement precise and calculated. There was no time to waste. “If you and Yunho would kindly load supplies, secure the longboat, and get us underway...“

“What’s our heading?”

“I need to sit down and plot it out before I forget— Jongho! Please stay with San and do as he says,”  
Hongjoong was now rushing to grab parchment and hurriedly sketching out what Mingi presumed to be their next destination. Hearing Yunho leave to start weighing anchor, he took another look around the room and noted a few absences. “Where are Yeosang and Wooyoung?”

Hongjoong didn’t look up, but paused just for a second in his drawing in a moment of clear regret before calmly responding, “I’ll explain later,” and continuing. Mingi didn’t like the sound of that at all. Hongjoong gave away more by his manner than his voice that something was very wrong. Still, Mingi nodded, took the parchment, and went out on deck to yell, “Man the capstan!”

When he popped in later to inform Hongjoong that they were underway, Seonghwa was bandaged and knocked out and everyone else was silently watching his breathing. San seemed particularly uncomfortable in his chair, squirming around and looking guilty before finally announcing he had a headache and disappearing belowdecks. Jongho looked tired from helping San stabilise Seonghwa and perhaps from something else Mingi didn’t know about, so Hongjoong nudged him along to bed and then it was just the two of them and a sleeping Seonghwa.

Hongjoong finally sighed, allowing his body to relax and turning his face to Mingi. The quartermaster didn’t ask what had happened and just fidgeted in his seat, waiting for his captain to be ready to explain. His face looked as if he had seen a ghost, and Mingi began to feel nervous about what he would hear.

“Maddox was there.”

“Maddox?” Mingi frowned. Wasn’t that good news? “Eden’s quartermaster, Maddox?” Hongjoong nodded, eyes still fixed on Seonghwa as if looking away would cause him to stop breathing. “Well, where is he?” Hongjoong swallowed dryly. “He decided to stay on the island. The Navy’s got him in some kind of hostage situation. He has a lot of freedom, a whole library, access to good food... but they’re trying to use him for information and to get to Eden.”

“So Eden is alive— it’s confirmed now! This is great! Hyung, did he tell you where he is?” Again, Hongjoong turned to Mingi but kept his eyes on Seonghwa. “No, he gave me some help in getting to our next stop, but he says Eden doesn’t want to be found.” Mingi sat back in his chair and took in the expression on Hongjoong’s face. He seemed far from himself, clearly this news had affected him. “Are you upset?” Mingi asked tentatively, lowering his voice even more. Hongjoong sighed again and shook his head. “Things have changed. Eden lost hope when he and his men came this way and dealt with hardships. I still intend to find him, and see if I can restore him somehow.”

Mingi nodded. He wouldn’t expect any less from Hongjoong, who wasn’t one to quit easily. After allowing a moment of silence, he couldn’t keep it in any longer. “Wooyoung and Yeosang? What happened to them?” Hongjoong’s face darkened. “Yeosang is lost in a maze, and Wooyoung’s gone to find him. Jongho had an episode while they were in there, and I think Yeosang was trying to find help. Wooyoung volunteered to go find him, so I allowed it.”

“The two of them alone out there? How are they going to find us again, assuming they can even get a boat somewhere?”

“I gave them my bag and Eden’s map. Maddox marked the next island on it, that’s why I had to recreate it before I forgot where it was. I trust them. Yeosang in particular is an exceptional navigator, you know that.”

“I believe you, Captain, but anything could happen out there.” Mingi could already see in his mind all the ways something could go wrong and end in death for the two officers who were separated from their ship. “There’s nothing we can do,” Hongjoong reminded him gently. “We just need to have faith that they can do it, and solve the problem at hand. If we make it, we make it together.”

Mingi turned again to Seonghwa. His breaths were small but present, comforting the watchers that he was hanging on still. “San shot him, didn’t he?” Mingi’s voice was almost unheard. He was scared to say it out loud, feeling like something bad would happen if he did. “I think so,” Hongjoong’s voice was equally quiet, more out of his reluctance to admit it than anything else. “I need to talk to Yunho, he was there.” He suddenly rose and made for the door. “I’m sure it was an accident, but either way I’ll need to talk to San, too,” he disclosed before taking his leave.

Again Mingi’s eyes wandered to Seonghwa. He did not envy the conversation he was going to have to have with San when he awoke.

...

Wooyoung made his way back to the maze without any trouble, completely alert to any and every sign of danger. The firing between the ATEEZ and the shore batteries had stopped, and judging by the sound of the stone tower splitting into a thousand pieces, the ATEEZ had won. Yet he had no time to turn and glance back at the beach to try and get a glimpse. A thought crept into his head that it might be his last glimpse. He shook it off as he approached the maze. The four paths were even more concealed now that the fog was blowing inland, and Wooyoung had to do a quick assessment before deciding a course of action. Yeosang most likely wasn’t down the path Hongjoong had taken, or the one he and Seonghwa had been taking. Realising he would need it, Wooyoung fetched the rope they had left lying on the ground of their path and turned to the two remaining paths. 

There was the one Yeosang and Jongho had taken, but Jongho had appeared with Captain and not Yeosang, so it was unlikely that Yeosang was still on that path. If so, why would Jongho had left him? Wooyoung swallowed, realising that Yeosang had most likely left Jongho. Once again, he turned to the path on the far left and made his way down it. The fork in the road loomed again, and Wooyoung had to rack his brain to go forward. He and Seonghwa had found San and Yunho by keeping left, so had Yeosang also tried to find them but had gone the wrong way? If Yeosang went the wrong way, Wooyoung was going to go that way, too. A shaky breath escaped his lips as he pressed on into the unknown. 

...

San was lying in the bilge water, staring at the ceiling of the hold, not making a sound, when Hongjoong poked his head around the corner. The surgeon sat up, refusing to make eye contact, as Captain made his way over. 

“I heard from Yunho what happened,” the older boy said, plopping down in the water beside him, and San could detect nothing in his voice that gave away his feelings on the matter.

“It’s all my fault,” San blurted out his confession, figuring why Captain came here and deciding to spare him the trouble of interrogation. To his surprise, Hongjoong changed the subject. 

“Do you remember last time I found you here?” San raised an eyebrow. Last time Captain popped in on him in the hold he had been crying his eyes out. Hongjoong had seen and left, allowing the boy to work things out himself. San nodded sheepishly, thinking of the lives that had been lost at his hands that day. He remembered the bloodstains on the front of his shirt, holding hands with men as they bled out with their eyes clouded over and fixed in space. It had been his fault then, too. His lack of knowledge and panic at the battle that was happening had cost lives. Why was Hongjoong reminding him of that?

Captain had been silent for a moment but said, as if reading his thoughts, “I looked in here and saw you crying over all those men that had died. I knew you blamed yourself. But what you did after proved to me that despite your lack of confidence, you are always driven to do the right thing. Which I still believe to be true, no matter what happened out there with Seonghwa.”

San was tempted to smile at this encouragement but his mind was elsewhere, on his noona. It was clear now that the apparition of her was only his drug-induced mind playing tricks in the fog. But everything she had said... was that just his mind and his own doubts, or was there truth in her accusations?

“What am I doing here?”

“San, what happened was a mistake and there’s no need to question your—“

“No, really! I mean it, why am I here? I should have stayed home. Everything would be better. Friends wouldn’t be within an inch of their lives every day. Maybe I could’ve found a way to save my sister.”

“Isn’t that why you’re here? To get paid enough to afford her medicine?”

San hung his head. “No, not really. I came because I was bored and impatient and I smelled adventure and couldn’t let it go without a part of it.”

It was silent for a moment.

“You think she’s dead?”

“I have no proof either way. If she is... if she is dead, then it’s my fault for leaving her. I never appreciate what I have until it’s gone.”

Hongjoong’s eyes remained steady on him, but he didn’t say anything, allowing San to fill up the silence as he wished. 

“I didn’t even tell my grandparents I was going. You know, they used to ask me if I wanted to take a walk with them every day. I never did. I was always so upset, not at them but at the world. For leaving me somewhere I didn’t want to be.”

Captain’s face stayed emotionless. “Do you want to be here?” San was silent for a long time, thinking about his answer. For once, he quietly considered the whole situation and mulled over each thought and feeling. Hongjoong felt an unfamiliar stirring in his gut as he watched him. He had never seen San like this.

“Yes,” The soft answer was almost lost in the sounds of the ship but Hongjoong made it out. “I want to see this through to the end. Wherever we end up.” The Captain’s signature smirk returned to his face. “Good, we need you.” San looked up and smiled back. “At least until this is over,” Hongjoong shrugged. “Then you might want to reconsider.” San nodded and took a deep breath. His headache had finally eased off. Hongjoong rose and looked back from the doorway. “Seonghwa needs you now,” he reminded him gently before going back up on deck. San looked down at his hands, resting in his lap, before returning to the sickbay. Captain was right. However he felt about the events of the past 24 hours, Seonghwa needed him.

...

 

The hair was standing up on the back of his neck and yet Wooyoung ignored his senses and kept moving. He had made a couple dozen turns already and the path was twisting so much he was becoming dizzy. He wondered if he was going in circles as the sun set and he had to feel his way through the greenery, but the rope kept unwinding and the path stretched on. Finally he came to some kind of opening, a small space with a little fountain in the middle. Glancing around, he saw openings to other paths, perhaps the routes the rest had taken converged here. He stumbled around in the dark, a shock going through his body as he tripped over a shape on the ground. 

“Yeosang!”

The shape turned its head and blinked a few times. It was Yeosang, immobile on the ground with tears drying onto his face. “Yeosang, it’s okay! It’s me, Wooyoung!” “Wooyoung...” Yeosang whispered, finally beginning to realise what was happening. Wooyoung dropped to the ground next to him, shrugging off Hongjoong’s bag to take a look at his friend. “Are you alright?”

“My ankle...” Yeosang grimaced and pointed to his swollen foot. “I couldn’t see... tripped over the fountain.” Wooyoung let out a low breath. Another problem for them to work out. “Captain and the others are leaving on the ATEEZ,” Wooyoung’s eyes were steady on Yeosang. “He’s given me his bag, and we ought to find a way out of here and get back to them. Can you stand?” Yeosang’s silence was all the response Wooyoung needed to haul him up and support him. “Lean on me. Let’s go back the way I came, I left a rope to follow.” 

Yeosang hopped along complacently until a sudden noise from ahead caused both to look up in alarm. Lantern light and the sound of raised voices were growing closer around the bend in the path. “Royal Navy!” Yeosang squeaked as Wooyoung quickly dragged him away and ducked into another path. They watched from the shadows as soldiers poured into the courtyard, inspecting the area for trespassers. Wooyoung swore under his breath and continued as quietly as possible down the new path. Yeosang’s grunts were barely audible but boomed in Wooyoung’s ears as he shot his head back and saw lantern light creeping around the corner. 

“Stop!” Yeosang suddenly tugged Wooyoung’s arm, preventing him from a head on collision with the bush wall of the maze. “A dead end!” The officers met eyes, nodded, and simultaneously drew their guns. Wooyoung’s hands were shaking. From around the corner appeared a light, then a hand, then a hooded figure. Wooyoung aimed straight for where he presumed the heart to be, ready to fire, and was about to pull the trigger when the figure threw back his hood. “Wait!” He whispered harshly, throwing up his hands. “Don’t shoot! I’m Maddox, Hongjoong’s friend!” 

Yeosang and Wooyoung caught eyes again before scrutinising the figure before them. He was still relatively young, had a nose ring, and seemed sincere but neither had heard of him before. Yeosang drew himself up as much as he could and cleared his voice. “Prove it.” Maddox visibly deflated before catching sight of Hongjoong’s bag on Wooyoung’s shoulder and perking up. “On the other side of that bag,” he pointed to it and stared directly at Wooyoung. “There’s a painting of the stars over Hongjoong’s hometown. He did that himself when he was on our ship with us. No one else could know that!”

Wooyoung inspected the bag, still not lowering his gun, and discovered that there was, in fact, a sky map painted on one side. He looked at Yeosang and nodded. They had decided to trust this Maddox. “How do we get out of here?” Maddox beckoned for them to follow him, leading silently down another path until he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Yeosang gripped his gun again, suspicious. “This is halfway to the town,” Maddox was raising his hands again in a calming gesture. “There are small boats there, you could probably steal one and take it out to Hongjoong’s ship. I’m going to go back to the courtyard to buy you some time.”

The three traded glances again before Maddox silently retreated the way they came. “If you find him, tell him— the Sunken City can only be entered by one man.” With that cryptic message, he was gone. Wooyoung nervously checked on Yeosang who was mumbling to himself, “How do we know he’s not going to tell them where we’re going...” Wooyoung didn’t answer but shifted the weight of Yeosang on his shoulders and kept walking. 

A small town lay on the coast at the end of the road, just as Maddox had said. The two pirates slunk through the darkness toward the pier, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible while they unravelled the rope attaching a small longboat to the dock. “Let’s just warp it,” Yeosang whispered through gritted teeth. Warping the boat by climbing in it and unraveling the rope, the two silently set out to sea. Since clouds shrouded the stars, they decided the safest bet was to head in the direction they knew was east and hope for clearer skies.

“What’s in Captain’s bag?” Yeosang piped up from his seat at the rudder, after clearing the eastern corner of the island. “It’s not much use to us if all he gave us was the painting of the sky back west.” Wooyoung shrugged it off his shoulder and looked inside it. 

“Maps, a protractor and pen, a spyglass, ooh a bit of rum! Cartridges—“ “Maps? What maps?” Yeosang cut him off. Wooyoung pulled out two rolls of parchment and turned his head to the side trying to read them. “I can’t tell, it’s too dark.” Both searched the boat in vain for lanterns before realising there was a matchbox in Hongjoong’s bag. 

Yeosang sighed and looked closely at the map. “Only half of it is marked...” he hummed to himself. Wooyoung looked over his shoulder. “This island here,” he pointed to it. “It’s the farthest east.” Yeosang nodded and brushed his finger along the surface of the map. “The ink has only just dried!” He exclaimed. “I think this island was plotted on recently. It must be where Captain is headed.” The two nodded at each other in a clear agreement that this “Sunken Island” was their destination. “I’ll take the tiller, you ought to put your foot up and rest,” Wooyoung planted himself in the back of the boat, leaving Yeosang no choice but to go along with him. “Sunken Island... you know, Maddox wanted us to deliver a message about the ‘Sunken City’ to Captain.” 

“It can only be entered by one man,” Wooyoung thought back to Maddox’s parting words, and shook his head to clear it. “We’ll deal with that when we get there. Let’s just focus on making it back.” Yeosang nodded and sat back in his seat, ankle propped up on the side of the boat as stable as he could make it despite the rocking of the sea. The sun nestled below the waves for good and the stars emerged from behind the clouds. Yeosang’s head tilted back as he observed them. “They look different out here. Like looking through the mirror from the other side, you know?” Wooyoung nodded wordlessly. He was beginning to fight waves of exhaustion. It was quiet again for a few moments before he tentatively asked, “Wake me if I start drifting, will you?” Yeosang frowned at him. “You should let me steer for awhile. Or at least have me row, we’ll get there a lot faster that way.” Wooyoung shook his head. “Regain your strength first, then we’ll use it.”

Yeosang rolled his eyes and leaned back again, closing his eyes. “I’m older you know.” Wooyoung hid his smile. “I know.” Yeosang kept talking, more lethargic with each word. “And I’m your superior.” “I know,” Wooyoung’s voice was soft. “So you can’t tell me what to do.” “I think we can let this one slide,” Wooyoung whispered before confirming Yeosang was, in fact, asleep. The younger officer looked up at the strange stars. Even now, alone and adrift, he didn’t really feel lonely.

...

Mingi cracked open the door to the infirmary to check on Seonghwa again and found that he was not alone in his concern. Yunho sat next to the boatswain, gently braiding a few strands of the older boy’s dark hair. “Aha!” Mingi whispered harshly, closing the door behind him. “So you are the secret midnight hair stylist!” Yunho immediately threw his hands up. “No no no, it’s not me, I swear! All I was doing was making a little braid, see?” He grabbed his own hair, showing him the braid he had made for himself. “I have one, too! I just make them when I’m bored.” 

Mingi had to muffle his laughter as he sunk into the chair opposite the panicked rigger. “Yunho, I know, I’m just teasing. Everyone knows it’s San who dyes people’s hair at night.” Yunho pouted and slunk back into his seat. “Everyone but Yeosang,” he mumbled. After a few more chuckles, it was quiet again. Mingi’s face fell perceptibly. “Where did San go?” “Back to our cabin. He’s worn out,” Yunho frowned as well. “That whole business in the maze... he didn’t mean to shoot Seonghwa.” Mingi nodded, glancing at the immobile patient between them. 

“Did you see anything in the maze?” He finally piped up, eyes sliding over cautiously to Yunho.  
Yunho fidgeted for a second before giving in. He couldn’t ever truly keep anything from Mingi, his best friend. “After San shot Seonghwa, he panicked and tried to run. I grabbed hold of him and suddenly... suddenly I was back on the streets, wrestling for money. It was clear as day, I could feel the blows landing. And when I came out of it, I thought I’d hurt San. But everything was alright, Captain showed up and we all got out. All except Yeosang and Wooyoung.”

Mingi tilted his head in sympathy. Yunho had done a good job of handling the situation, all things considered, but it seemed as if he didn’t see it that way. He doubted himself too much, hiding behind jokes and smiles. Mingi decided to change the subject. “Hey, teach me how to make those braids! I want one, too.”

...

The sun was finally coming up, the sea shimmering in its light, a mirage of heat rising from the surface. Wooyoung’s weary eyes lit up and he nudged Yeosang awake. 

“A sail straight ahead! It’s the ATEEZ!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst and fluff and adventure all in the same chapter wowow now I’m not surprised it took me so long to write xD In the event of Ateez’s first win (YAY!!) and all the feels there, I made a few references to Yeosang and Wooyoung’s 5 year friendship that you might be able to catch. Guys we are only one chapter away! And then on to Ep 2 0_0 the time has flown by it seems (to me anyway) What did you think? Favourite moments? Least favourite moments? Predictions? Plot holes? Please comment and all that ;)


	12. The Sunken Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s not the ATEEZ.” Yeosang lowered Hongjoong’s spyglass, shifting his injured limb off the side of the boat. 
> 
> “It’s the Navy.”
> 
> Wooyoung’s heart sank. There was almost no chance that they would get out of this one. He collapsed back into his seat, flailing his arms in frustration, and was suddenly grabbed by Yeosang. “Stop waving your arms around! Do you want them to see us?” He hissed through gritted teeth. “Haven’t they already?” Wooyoung argued back. Yeosang handed the glass over. “Look, we’re in their blind spot. The sun’s only just risen so visibility is low, and we’re a much smaller vessel so it’ll take them longer to spot us.”
> 
> Wide-eyed, Wooyoung turned from the enemy ship to his fellow officer. “But, Yeosang, we have nowhere to run! They’ll see us for sure if we get out the oars to row back where we came!” Yeosang snapped his fingers suddenly, face lighting up.

“It’s not the ATEEZ.” Yeosang lowered Hongjoong’s spyglass, shifting his injured limb off the side of the boat. 

“It’s the Navy.”

Wooyoung’s heart sank. There was almost no chance that they would get out of this one. He collapsed back into his seat, flailing his arms in frustration, and was suddenly grabbed by Yeosang. “Stop waving your arms around! Do you want them to see us?” He hissed through gritted teeth. “Haven’t they already?” Wooyoung argued back. Yeosang handed the glass over. “Look, we’re in their blind spot. The sun’s only just risen so visibility is low, and we’re a much smaller vessel so it’ll take them longer to spot us.”

Wide-eyed, Wooyoung turned from the enemy ship to his fellow officer. “But, Yeosang, we have nowhere to run! They’ll see us for sure if we get out the oars to row back where we came!” Yeosang snapped his fingers suddenly, face lighting up. “Hang on! They don’t know who we are! We’re the two most recent officers to join the ATEEZ and neither of us— as far as I know— have had any major run-ins with the Royal Navy! Am I correct?” Wooyoung was already shaking his head. He could see where this was going. “Yeosang, it’ll never work. This is the Eastern Sea, we haven’t the faintest idea how things work out here! Even if we pretend we’re some random fishermen and they somehow buy it, what if we’re trespassing in Navy waters? No one gets exemption from that, even if they aren’t pirates!”

Yeosang was already searching the boat frantically for anything to help their ruse work. “We don’t have a choice, Wooyoung. You’re going to have to go with me on this. Just stay in their blind spot and buy time, and if it comes to it let me do the talking. Got it?” Wooyoung’s face screamed protest and he knew this was going to be a crazy level of risky but he swallowed his fear and simply nodded to his superior. “We don’t have any fishing equipment,” Yeosang reported. “What are we going to say then? All we have is your average nondescript longboat,” Wooyoung kept his eyes trained on the frigate they were slowly drawing closer to. Yeosang set his jaw. “I have a card I can play if I have to.”

...

The sun seemed to be taking its time, sauntering up out of the sea and into the sky. The pain flooded in before his eyes had a chance to open.

“Seonghwa?”

It was Jongho’s voice, tentative and distant in the swirling blackness. He must have made a noise, because now Jongho was speaking to someone else. “I think Seonghwa is waking up, go get San and the Captain!” Rustling and movement to his left startled him into cracking open an eye. The sliver of early morning light seeped in, and gently Seonghwa allowed his lids to open.

“How are you feeling, Seonghwa-hyung?” Hongjoong asked, brushing a sandy strand of hair out of his own eyelashes and leaning into view of the injured Seonghwa. The patient wondered distantly about the state of his own hair. “Hurts,” he finally bit out. “Sharp pain or dull?” On his other side appeared San’s green head. Seonghwa started and then sunk further into his bed sheets. An image came into his mind of San pointing a gun directly at him. He swallowed and croaked out, “Dull.” Hongjoong and San made eye contact over him before both looking back down. 

“Do you remember what happened?” It was Hongjoong again. “Uh...” His voice came out almost like a sigh, mind racing back to the last thing he remembered. The maze, the hallucinations, San pointing the gun at him... there it was again. Why did he keep seeing that? “Someone shot me,” he realised the pain in his abdomen was indeed from a gun. San took a step back, and Seonghwa could swear he saw a drop of sweat on his forehead that had not been there before. Again Hongjoong looked over at him, this time with his “calm down” glance. 

Seonghwa observed their silent conversation as closely as he could, but his eyelids were being tugged down. “The bullet passed right through, and San says you’ll recover.” Hongjoong. Seonghwa’s eyes blinked back open. San was nodding at him in confirmation. “But who...” the invisible force was pushing his eyes closed again and a yawn escaped his mouth. “Who shot... shot me?” Hongjoong smiled through the shrinking crack of Seonghwa’s eyelids and whispered, “It’s alright, get some rest. We’ll explain later.”

Seonghwa was out like a light. San sighed in relief, hesitant to do what Hongjoong had just said and explain exactly what happened to Seonghwa. “He’ll figure it out himself soon enough if you don’t, you know,” Hongjoong said like he was reading his thoughts again and made his way to the door, Jongho in tow. San slumped in his chair. “Come get me if he wakes again.” 

...

“Approach her port-side,” Yeosang quietly instructed. The Navy ship had certainly spotted them, judging by the decreasing distance between the two, but had remained neutral thus far. “We need to veer two points to port to stay on course for Sunken Island anyway.” Wooyoung silently obeyed, keeping a shrewd watch on the approaching deck of the Navy ship. Sure enough, the captain had been summoned and stood at the railing, yelling down a courteous but brusque, “Commercial vessels aren’t allowed in this area. What are you doing here?”

Yeosang held up the rolls of maps as their boat pulled alongside the frigate. “We’re astronomers. Plotting sky charts.”

“Who is your employer?”

Yeosang didn’t miss a beat. “You are. Or at least, the Navy. Head Navigator Kang.” Wooyoung kept his confusion off his face.

“And why, if you don’t mind, are you half a day’s journey away from the nearest harbour in a longboat? Shouldn’t you be on Navigator Kang’s ship?”

Again Yeosang waited just the right amount of time before answering. “Navigator Kang is on the mainland. This is just a small research exploration, it didn’t require his ship.” 

Narrowed eyes lingered for a moment more. “Very well, move along. You know where we are now if you need anything. And may I remind you, it would be proper for you to fly your colours.”

Wooyoung didn’t release his breath until they had moved well out of the captain’s earshot. “Head Navigator Kang? Who is that? How on earth did they believe we were working for the Navy?”

“That’s my father. He works for the Navy.” Wooyoung’s eyes widened. “Your father is the Head Navigator? Yeosang! What are you doing on a pirate ship? You could’ve had a whole career in the Navy!” Suddenly the gunner was brimming with barely contained jealousy. “I know,” Yeosang sighed, repositioning himself to have his foot elevated again. “I almost did. But I don’t think I ever could’ve been truly happy in the Navy. It’s not the life for me.” “You had a chance like that...” Wooyoung spoke slowly, the temperature of his face going up as his emotions bubbled to the surface. “And you didn’t take it?” Yeosang was stunned into silence. Wooyoung’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he continued, “Do you know how many people would do anything for a shot to get in the Navy? Especially in a high rank? And set for life!”

“You’re one, aren’t you?” Yeosang finally said, cool under fire as always. Wooyoung was too ashamed to admit it, still steaming from his seat at the tiller. “I didn’t forget what you said about your brother when we were all drunk that time. You wanted to be like him, you were expected to be like him. I’m sorry to crush your dreams, but Wooyoung, you don’t know what the Navy is really like. I gave up that path for a reason.”

“Why? Humour me,” Wooyoung was losing some of his firepower at this reveal of Yeosang’s backstory. Perhaps he had judged sooner than he should have. Yeosang cracked a half smile. He had been waiting for the right moment, and it had sauntered over to him like a piece of driftwood. “I was never in the Navy, but my father is and so of course the plan was always for me to be. I had an apprenticeship that made me change my mind.”

“Who were you apprenticed to?”

“Bang Si-Hyuk.”

Wooyoung gasped. “Privateer Bang Si-Hyuk? The same one I worked for? I never saw you!” He was baffled why Yeosang hadn’t shared this when he knew all along that his cabinmate was a powder monkey for the same Si-Hyuk. “That’s because I was in navigation and you were on the gun deck. And let’s face it, he never allowed any of us younger ones to go where we pleased. ‘No wandering the ship, now, you rats!’ You never really interacted with him, did you?” Wooyoung shook his head, intrigued. “That’s good for you. You wouldn’t want to.” Yeosang’s face gave away his feelings easily.

“Was he really that awful?” Wooyoung was beginning to feel sick to his stomach as memories from the last ten years resurfaced. “The man is impossible. Sure, it got on my nerves that I could never do anything to his satisfaction but the way he treated his crew, ran his ship. That’s what made me realise if I can’t stand this, how much worse will the Navy be? Si-Hyuk is a Navy man, he was trained to behave like that. I don’t think I could allow myself to be under those same people who trained him into a monster.” Wooyoung was piecing things together. “So you joined the ATEEZ?” 

“Eventually,” Yeosang punctuated it with a shrug. “It definitely took some adjustment but when we had a battle with the Royal Navy, I was proven correct. They’re ruthless and incredibly power-hungry. They mauled our powder monkeys like they were animals instead of children. It’s disgusting. But that’s why we have you.” Wooyoung still didn’t quite swallow it, this claim that the Navy he had been striving for was mortal enemies, and with good reason, with the crew he was now a part of. Yeosang detected the struggle behind his eyes.

“Let me tell you that to be part of the ATEEZ and yet agree with what that Navy stands for is a complete contradiction. You simply cannot do it.” Wooyoung took in a shaky breath and watched the grey horizon. “But I didn’t ask to be here,” he pointed out, quietly at first. A little scared to be so vulnerable about the doubts that had been plaguing him since that day he joined their ranks. The tension between them was thick, both boys thinking back to Wooyoung’s moment of weakness in the doldrums. Yeosang had silently convinced him to stay then, and he was trying again now. But Wooyoung still had a choice to make. “So why should I be risking my life for someone I don’t even know looking for a treasure that probably doesn’t even exist?”

“Wooyoung, if that’s what you believe we’re doing... just stick around and you’ll see. This isn’t a crew, it’s a family. We’re all lost and rejected together.” Wooyoung’s eyes were damp now but he kept them still, focused on the patch of light that was growing into the sun. Yeosang was smiling at him again. “I know you don’t want to admit that you’ve been rejected, but it’s alright. We want you. Who knows where I’d be if you hadn’t showed up last night.” Finally, Wooyoung turned his head and smiled back, blinking back the moisture in his eyes before announcing, “Who knew you were such a sap.” Yeosang punched him in the shoulder, a little harder than he was expecting. “Hey! I never talk like this with anyone, you should consider yourself lucky. You’re the sap for crying.”

“I’m not crying!”

“Those are tears in your eyes!”

“It’s just the sea salt, look— there! I’ve blinked it away.”

Yeosang backed off before it became a full fledged fist fight. The captain of the Navy ship was no doubt still spying on them from behind as they floated northeast. “Well, what do you have to say then?” He crossed his arms and gave the younger boy a prodding look. Wooyoung rolled his eyes but stilled for a moment to consider. “I’m not used to everyone yet, and there’s a lot I haven’t seen. But I’ll follow you, Yeosang. You can count on that.”

...

Hongjoong had been getting a few peaceful moments of sleep at his desk, feet propped up on the table and head tilted back, when Jongho suddenly burst into his quarters, breathless. The noise jolted the Captain out of his sleep and out of his chair, blinking rapidly. “What is it, is Seonghwa—?”

“No, no,” Jongho panted before approaching and resting both hands on the desk. “We’re here. I can feel it.” Hongjoong took a seat again, sceptical. “Yunho didn’t call ‘land ho’ and no one’s seen anything... are you sure?” Jongho nodded fervently. “We’re headed for Sunken Island, right? So it won’t be above water! And Maddox said there were sirens, hyung I can feel them here. Trust me!” His eyes pleaded with Hongjoong and his hands gripped the smooth surface of the desk beneath him. “Well, let’s do a depth sounding,” Hongjoong shook his head, trying to hide his smile. “Go get Yunho.” Jongho was gone before the words were out of his mouth. 

“But it’s so time-consuming!” Yunho whined when the sails had been furled and the officers were assembled with the equipment at the starboard side. “That’s a good thing,” Hongjoong reminded him. “It gives Yeosang and Wooyoung a chance to catch up. I don’t want to go any further without them.” Yunho sighed and began unravelling the knotted rope.

It wasn’t until he called out “by the deep 1000” that the plummet made a hit. “Ah! Sooner than I expected.” Suspicious, Yunho thought to himself. The lead returned with a strange shiny substance covering it. It was white as pearl and not quite solid or liquid, and Yunho was baffled by it. Jongho reached his hand out to feel it. “This is it,” he whispered, almost reverent. All five of them leaned over the bulwarks to try to get a closer look through the unnaturally glassy surface. A faint voice drifted toward them from the other side of the ship. “Ahoy there!” The five officers came back up again, turning to each other in confusion. “Anyone else hear that?” Mingi asked. “Down here!” There it was again.

The men crossed the ship to the port side and peered over the bulwark to discover what was in fact a longboat approaching. “Wooyoung and Yeosang! It’s them!” Yunho broke into a massive smile and waved his arms. Mingi was jumping up and down. “Your timing is impeccable as always, Yeosang,” Hongjoong quipped before ordering for the boat to be pulleyed up. The two bedraggled floaters were met with hugs and claps on the back once they emerged from their stolen boat. 

“We had to do a double take,” Wooyoung admitted, dodging Mingi’s attempt to ruffle his hair. “Last time we thought we found the ATEEZ, it was the Navy.” San gasped and gripped his arm. “How did you get away?” He asked, wide-eyed. “We’ll explain later,” Yeosang reassured him, meeting eyes with Wooyoung in a prompt warning. “Where’s the Sunken Island, then? We’re at the coordinates.” Everyone sobered at the change of topic. “We’re sitting right on top of it,” Yunho explained. “I just did a depth sounding and it’s under the water.” “About that!” Wooyoung caught Hongjoong’s eye. “We met Maddox and he wanted us to tell you; the Sunken City can only be entered by one man.” Thoughts raced through the Captain’s head. Maddox’s warning called him back to the single man who had escaped but lost his voice. It was going to be dangerous for anyone to go and face the sirens on their own ground. 

Jongho took a deep breath and straightened, turning to the Captain. “Sir,” he began. Hongjoong couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at this professionalism. “I’d like to volunteer.” “I’m hardly surprised,” Hongjoong smirked in response. “But how are you going to get down there?” Jongho brushed it off. “I learned a few tricks in Mermaid Cove, there’s nothing to worry about.” Hongjoong didn’t look convinced. “I promise!” Jongho tugged on his arm imploringly.

“Alright,” Hongjoong finally agreed, quiet and reluctant but decisive. Jongho wasted no time in running off to the bow to prepare himself, leaving the others on deck. Wooyoung noted the absence among them. “Is Seonghwa...?” “Resting,” San was quick to reassure him before casting his eyes on the floorboards, afraid Wooyoung would bring up the incident in the maze. Wooyoung didn’t respond but gave him a quick pat on the back to say he could trust him. “I want to know everything that happened while you were gone,” Hongjoong dismissed everyone else back to their duties and focused his attention on the two escapees.

Yeosang nodded. “It’s a bit of a story...”

...

Jongho secured a rope to the damaged bowsprit and cleared his throat to get Hongjoong’s attention. The Captain excused himself from his conversation with Yeosang and Wooyoung and, after a slight moment of hesitation, pulled their youngest into a hug. “Oh come on, not in front of the crew!” Jongho was squirming to get out. “No one’s looking,” Hongjoong laughed before letting him escape. “Now listen, you’re going to have to keep your wits about you down there—“ “I can breathe underwater.” 

“...What?” Hongjoong was shocked by this sudden revelation. Jongho sighed before launching into an explanation. “The mermaids that raised me taught me how. Just like they taught me to sing. I’ll be fine, hyung, really.” Hongjoong could still see a spark of uncertainty in Jongho’s dark eyes. “What is it, Jongho?” He questioned, tilting his head and examining him. “It’s my curse,” Jongho finally admitted, staring holes into his feet. “When I was in the maze, I had a hallucination of mermaid song. That’s what triggered my nightmare.” Hongjoong nodded and looked overboard again at the water below, concealing the Sunken City. “You’re afraid their song will cause another dream.” Jongho didn’t answer, but met eyes with his Captain. “Jongho, I want you to be careful. Get the glass and get out. Taking on an enemy ship is one thing, messing around with supernatural creatures is another.” With a nod, Jongho disappeared over the forecastle deck, lowering himself into the sea with his rope, and then taking a deep breath and diving under.

Soon the source of silvery substance came into view. It looked like a city of lustrous white, pools of pearly water scattered throughout and a town that spiralled up to a shimmering palace. As he descended on it, the massive size of the Sunken City became evident. It wasn’t your average lost city but a place that was regularly teeming with life. It looked like an abandoned paradise to the eye’s first scan, but Jongho recognised the shadow of his own frigate overhead and knew its residents were most likely hiding from it. He became lightheaded as his feet touched down on the sea floor outside the impressive front gate. Clearing his mind, Jongho let his body remember how to breathe and exhaled gently, bubbles floating up and away. As he fell into a rhythm, music wafted toward him. He opened the gate and began to walk to the city.

Notes descending in crystal harmony wove together a breathtaking song. Jongho found himself captivated, until out of the lilting melodies the words of the song were revealed. “Another precious sailor boy, discovering for himself the stuff of legend.” He stopped in his tracks. “Legend? Hold on, can’t you recognise one of your own?” His mouth immediately snapped shut. He had already given himself away by not falling into the seduction trap. A voice drifted to him. “You may be raised by our kind, but you are certainly human-born.” Jongho bit back a response and peered into the homes he passed by while he had a chance, wondering where a magic magnifying glass might be. He was so focused on his task he almost bumped into a mermaid in the middle of the road. She floated there silently, watching him. Jongho pulled away in horror. This siren looked nothing like the mermaids from his childhood. She broke into a sweet smile that revealed fangs. “We’re Cursed too, young one. Only our misfortune extends much further into history than yours,” her eyes flashed at him. Gills fluttering in the current calmed as Jongho sputtered. “I didn’t say anything about a curse-!” “You didn’t need to. I sense that you’re missing something. In fact your heart is set on finding it.” She somehow knew about his memories, and he was itching to ask if she could tell him more.

“Listen, that doesn’t matter." Jongho knew his answer was weak, but the creature before him kept smiling. “Why are you here, child?” There was a hard edge to her voice. Jongho got the feeling she was a gatekeeper of some kind. “I wanted to find more of you. My sisters in the mermaid cove told me of the Sunken Island. They always wished they hadn’t lost contact with you... they want to be reunited,” Jongho’s voice was remarkably steady this time, especially for thinking on his feet. The siren’s smile was unwavering, but her piercing eyes narrowed. “So they sent you? An interesting choice. Come along, let’s see what the Queen has to say.” 

Having no say in the matter, Jongho followed behind her and all around him sirens emerged from their houses to watch him go by. The palace was foreboding yet magnificent. The beauty of the architectural design screamed power and confidence, and made Jongho’s heart beat a little faster. Still, wanting to keep his head, he did as he was told and entered the ornate royal hall alone. The Queen was stunning and terrifying at the same time, and her eyes remained fixed on Jongho while she questioned him. 

“What a coincidence to have a newcomer on our steps at the same moment that a ship of men loiters above us.” Jongho played it safe and told the truth. “The ship that brought me here to meet with you.” A grating laugh danced in his ears. “You hired the scum of the earth to bring you to our glorious kingdom!” Jongho kept his mouth shut, ignoring the urge to protect his friends. The hideous creature before him pretended to think for a few minutes. “I would like to overlook your human characteristics,” the siren Queen suddenly frowned. “But I do have a reputation to keep. If your mermaid sisters want an audience with me they’ll think better of sending a man and come themselves.” Jongho could tell from the glint in her sharp eyes that she was playing some kind of game with him, and enjoying it very much. “I have my rules. Don’t worry about delivering the message to them, we’ll take care of that ourselves.”

It hit Jongho like a ton of bricks. She was going to kill him. She didn’t care what he said or did, killing humans was simply the siren way. Her webbed hand shot out and clutched his arm in an iron grip, digging into his skin. But before he could retaliate, she opened her mouth and began to sing. Her clear, entrancing tone penetrated his ears and he began to panic. He struggled to get out of her grip, frantically looking around for anything he could use as a weapon. Suddenly he spotted it; the centrepiece in her crystalline crown, a jewel of magic glass.

...

All was unnervingly quiet on deck, eyes fixed on to the spot where Jongho disappeared for a good thirty minutes, until a sound made its way up through the glassy water and filled the ears of everyone on board.

It was siren song. Immediately Mingi was at the forecastle, spinning Hongjoong around to face him.

“You know what sirens do to sailors?”

“Yes, Mingi, I know—“

“They sing them into madness and make them drown themselves! Or, even more fun, sink their ship and then eat them alive and steal their voices. How does that sound?”

“Mingi!” Hongjoong shook his quartermaster out of it. “Get everyone below and lock all doors and gratings. Officers included. No one is drowning themselves on my watch.”

They were interrupted by a splash. A man had jumped over. Hongjoong’s eyes widened. “Where is he?” Yeosang came down from the quarterdeck and leaned over the starboard bulwark before he spotted him. “There! He’s about to dive!” Yeosang ascended the rail, ready to retrieve him, before being yanked back on deck by his captain. “You’re still injured! What are you thinking?” Hongjoong shed his coat and climbed over the rail. “Get everyone below, now!” And with that he dived overboard and swam at a steady clip towards the escaping crew member. Yeosang and the other officers ran off to secure the lower decks but Mingi stayed put, watching the scuffle in the water with bated breath. 

Hongjoong caught up and grabbed the man’s arms to keep him from going further. The crew member kicked and screamed but Hongjoong held on tightly, doing his best to bargain with him. The man suddenly drew back his head and smacked into his Captain’s, squirming out of his arms and trying to get away again. Hongjoong was still reeling from the blow but shook it off and grabbed the man again, this time by the head. He clamped his hands over the sailor’s ears until his struggling finally calmed and he passed out. Hongjoong hauled his dead weight onto his back and turned to swim back to the ATEEZ.

...

Jongho was crumbling under the voice of the siren Queen, tears leaking out of his eyes and floating away. His arm was turning blue from the pressure of her claws and he wasn’t sure if he could take it much longer. The frightening creature before him was beginning to get frustrated with the resistance he was putting up to her song and so increased her volume. Jongho looked up. The glass was only a quick grab away from him, nestled in her crown, but he wouldn’t dare grab it while she had the upper hand.

An idea suddenly dawned on him. Jongho opened his mouth as wide as he could and released a high pitched note. The siren halted mid-song. Jongho continued singing, growing in volume and confidence as he unleashed a gorgeous mermaid tune with perfect technique. He knew his song wasn’t as captivating as hers but it was at least as powerful, overtaking the Queen and forcing her to shrink back, loosening her grip on him. 

He saw his moment and took it, seizing the head of the siren Queen and ripping off her crown. The centre jewel, the magic glass, tumbled out and Jongho caught it one handed before fleeing out the window and darting up, back to the surface. He clutched the glass in one hand and used the other to swim for his life as sirens poured out of the city in droves to chase him down. 

...

The crew had just been locked in when the siren song suddenly stopped, replaced by an equally beautiful but different melody. 

“What’s that?” Wooyoung was scanning the ocean again, even though there was still nothing to see. San grew in excitement. “That’s Jongho’s voice! It’s Jongho!” Right on time, Jongho surfaced, waving around what looked like a transparent jewel and screaming, “It’s time to cast off, NOW!” With a speed Wooyoung had never seen from a human being, Jongho scaled the rope that was still attached to the bowsprit and sprinted to his room to grab his gun. The other officers followed suit, drawing and aiming their weapons at the bubbling sea. “Yeosang, I know I just told you to restrain everyone,” Hongjoong’s eyes narrowed at the heads of sirens popping up near the ship. “But I need hands aloft to loose the mainsails.” Yeosang nodded and released the men, who had all come out of their trance and set to work.

Siren after siren was shot down from the starboard rail as the ATEEZ picked up speed. All had been blown off the sides of the ship except one, the pesky gatekeeper Jongho had first met. She silently crept up behind him while he was focused on blasting the last of the sirens off the bowsprit, when Wooyoung spied her and put a bullet right through her head. Jongho turned, startled, feeling blood on his back and watched with satisfaction as the body of the siren tumbled back into the sea. He gave Wooyoung a thankful glance and returned to his duty.

Soon the ATEEZ had put plenty of distance between them and Sunken Island. “Do you think they’ll come after us in stronger numbers?” Yeosang’s watchful eye was poised on the receding horizon. Everyone looked to Jongho who shook his head and followed Yeosang’s gaze. “I hope not. They don’t know who we are, so at any rate there’s no way to find us.” It was quiet again for a moment, except the steaming of guns cooling off. “I’m worried they’ll come after the mermaids in the cove where I grew up,” Jongho admitted quietly as he handed the sparkling glass over to his captain. “I used them as a cover to get in.” Yunho patted his arm and thought of some way to change the subject.  
“Mingi was scared,” He blurted. San joined in, “Oh Mingi was terrified!” “Lies. I’ve never been scared once since I’ve been born,” Mingi pouted with his arms crossed. No one was buying it. The six of them laughed, Mingi eventually shaking his head and accepting it. Wooyoung smiled, finally relaxed for the first time in a long time.

“What’s our heading, Captain?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowowowow!! The end of volume one! Don’t worry the story doesn’t end here, keep your eye out for Zero to One, the second instalment. Let me know what your reactions are and please comment! Also did anyone catch the Mingi rap reference hehe... That’s all for now, thanks for your support!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to All to Zero! It’s half plotted out and half seat of my pants so please stick around and see what happens :) Thanks for reading and don’t be afraid to comment :)


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